Structural Timber Magazine issue 13 - Autumn 2017

Structural Timber Magazine.co.uk

autumn 2017 | £4.95

STMAG

Design Technology Sustainability Interviews News Analysis Case Studies

The latest in structural timber building design and technologies

ZÜBLIN TIMBER NEW DIMENSIONS IN TIMBER CONSTRUCTION

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P70

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STRUCTURAL TIMBER AWARDS 2017

BUILDING BOARDS

TOOLS & MACHINERY

Specifying the right product for the right application

Saws, cutting technology and timber hardware

Shortlist of pioneering projects, products and people

“EGGER Protect has been our staple diet for over 10 years. It has stood the test of time and most importantly the British climate. Having the 60-day exposure guarantee gives peace of mind to us the manufacturer and the customer. Limiting defects is critical, especially while margins are what they are. Having products you can rely on, is key to our success.�

Tim Morris, Commercial Manager, Lowfield Timber Frames Ltd

Project - Pine Ridge Architect - Architectural Homes Developer - Architectural Homes Main Contractor - Adamson Construction Walls, floors (using EGGER Protect) roof & oak - Lowfield Timber Frames Ltd For the full story, please turn to pages 24-25.

WELCOME TO Welcome to the Autumn edition of Structural Timber Magazine and one that will be hitting everyone’s desks on the run up to UK Construction Week and of course Timber Expo 2017.

FOLLOW US ON TWITTER UNDER: twitter.com/STMagUK ADVERTISING ENQUIRIES PLEASE CONTACT: DAVID SMITH // T: 01743 290013 E: david.smith@structuraltimbermagazine.co.uk BACK ISSUES VISIT: www.structuraltimbermagazine.co.uk FRONT COVER The Smile. ZÜBLIN Timber Images © Tom Donald PRINTED ON: PEFC 16-33-576 paper stock by Buxton Press

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by Radar Communications in association with the Structural Timber Association: ©Radar Communications Ltd. FOR STA ENQUIRIES PLEASE CONTACT: BOB DAVIS // T: 01259 272140 E: bob.davis@structuraltimber.co.uk DISCLAIMER: The content of Structural Timber Magazine does not necessarily reflect the views of the editor or publishers and are the views of its contributors and advertisers. The digital edition may include hyperlinks to third-party content, advertising, or websites, provided for the sake of convenience and interest. The publishers accept no legal responsibility for loss arising from information in this publication and do not endorse any advertising or products available from external sources. No part of this publication may be reproduced or stored in a retrieval system without the written consent of the publishers. All rights reserved.

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The profile of timber as a sustainable and environmentally-sound building material has never been in question. It also an integral part of the burgeoning interest in offsite manufacture and delivery of new buildings across many sectors and many superb structural examples of the use of timber can be seen in the Structural Timber Awards 2017 shortlist. The aesthetics, structural engineering capabilities and general diversity of the ways timber is used is always a marvel and the winners will be announced on 10 October at the Birmingham NCC in the midst of Timber Expo. A few tickets are still available for the Awards Dinner so don’t miss out on a fantastic evening. We also include a quick preview later in this issue of what is in store at Timber Expo.

The next ‘Timber Trends and Capacity Report’ will also be published to coincide with UK Construction Week 2017 and will be launched at Timber Expo. The STA’s last Timber Trends Report released earlier this year, forecast continued growth within the sector towards 2018 and beyond. Total housing starts are predicted to tip over 200,000 by 2018, with shortages in traditional skills and construction materials, encouraging the larger builders to look again at timber frame. With housing often taking centre stage in any talk of construction

we hear from Neil Smith, NHBC’s Head of Research and Innovation, who is currently working with many designers, housebuilders and manufacturers on a variety of systems in development for use in the housebuilding sector.

This issue is a busy one all round with a real mix of features including coverage of Keilsteg – a product that is adding a new dimension to the suite of advanced engineered timber systems and we also highlight the wider use of the multi-functional MgO board as an alternative to OSB and conventional plywood – its importance is reflected in the newly formed Magnesium Oxide Building Board Trade Association (MOBBTA) who I’m sure we will be hearing a lot more from over the coming months. And with a view to some of the tools, fastening and hardware used on a daily basis within the timber sector, this issue we look at some of the saw and cutting technology that the timber sector could not do without.

As ever, many thanks to all our contributors, advertisers and supporters. Enjoy...

Gary Ramsay | Consultant Editor E: gary.ramsay@structuraltimbermagazine.co.uk

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CONTENTS

THIS ISSUE...

P6 | COVER STORY - ZÜBLIN TIMBER The London Design Festival 2016 was lit up by The Smile – an urban pavilion that showcased the structural and spatial potential of cross–laminated hardwood using American tulipwood. The beam – curving up at both ends – was created from CLT manufactured and built by ZÜBLIN Timber.

P08 | CSIC – THE CREATIVE CONSTRUCTION HUB STA Board Member Calum Murray of CCG OSM, attended the launch of the new £3 million Construction Scotland Innovation Centre (CSIC) Innovation Factory, here he discusses the importance of this initiative for the future of UK construction.

P10 | UK & OVERSEAS NEWS A quick round-up of some recent news stories from the timber and construction sectors that you may have missed including the latest STA activity, soaring UK timber prices and the new modular SHED Project.

P24 | PROTECT: THE INDUSTRY GAME CHANGER Lowfield Timber Frames have been using EGGER OSB 3 and EGGER’s structural flooring product, EGGER Protect in newbuild projects for over a decade. Lowfield have just built and installed EGGER Protect at an impressive new self-build family home in Liphook.

P26 | GREAT LENGTHS AND WIDTHS FOR NEW OSB With a focus on customer driven innovation, MEDITE SMARTPLY has developed a unique range of innovative oriented strand board (OSB) solutions perfectly suited to today’s demanding timber and offsite applications.

P30 | STRUCTURAL TIMBER AWARDS 2017 SHORTLIST With over 200 exemplar entries received packed full of outstanding pioneering projects, products and people, the 2017 Structural Timber Awards judges had an onerous job of shortlisting entries into 17 specialist categories.

P42 | ENSURING NEW HOMES STAND THE TEST OF TIME Under its headline banner of ‘raising standards, protecting homeowners’, the NHBC plays a pivotal role in the UK housing sector. Neil Smith, NHBC Head of Research and Innovation, outlines its role in supplying guidance and information on prefabrication and offsite manufacture.

P48 | TIMBER DAZZLES AT BERKELEY GREEN The conversion of a former nuclear research and engineering structure on the Severn Estuary has provided South Gloucestershire and Stroud College with an eye-catching, solid engineered wood building that has been described as ‘visionary’.

P52 | THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX With approximately 100,000 to 160,000 too few homes being built and current predictions showing things may get worse in the next decade – JML Contracts, explain why they think SIPS is the key timber technology to help reshape the future of housebuilding in the UK.

P56 | STRUCTURAL TIMBER – PROVIDING THE CAPACITY AND THE SOLUTIONS According to the STA there has never been more enthusiasm for offsite manufacture and it is busy reminding government, that the structural timber sector is ready and waiting to help resolve the shortfall in the UK’s housing stock.

P60 | MAKING A POSI-TIVE CHANGE Working with Chris Brown Joinery and sister company, MGM Timber, Jonathan Fellingham, Managing Director of Donaldson Timber Engineering (DTE), discusses how small design changes have had a big impact on a small development in Fife.

P70 | BUILDING BOARDS Even where specialist advice is available, a working knowledge of building regulations and performance is crucial to making the right design and specification decisions for structural strength and stability – plus we hear about some of the latest developments in the world of MgO boards.

P78 | TIMBER – BACK IN THE FRAME As timber frame sees a surge in popularity, Lewis Taylor, Timber Frame Consultant at Exova BM TRADA, discusses the importance of construction detailing and why third-party expert advice on design and build quality of timber frame buildings is critical.

P80 | TOOLS & MACHINERY A special section covering some of the hardware that makes the timber sector tick, from fastening and hooks, to the latest saw and cutting technology for timber component manufacture.

P92 | TIMBER EXPO 2017 The year’s must-visit timber construction event promises more than ever and will run from 10-12 October at the Birmingham NEC and is one of nine shows taking place at this year’s UK Construction Week. See what is in store including a range of international pavilions and the latest student innovation – Entwined.

COVER STORY – ZÜBLIN TIMBER

New Dimensions in Timber Construction The London Design Festival 2016 was lit up by The Smile – an urban pavilion that showcased the structural and spatial potential of cross–laminated hardwood using American tulipwood. The tube – curving up at both ends – was created from CLT manufactured and built by ZÜBLIN Timber.

Designed by Alison Brooks Architects, engineered by Arup and built by ZÜBLIN Timber, The Smile was a spectacular 3.5m high, 4.5m wide and 34m long curved rectangular tube – the first ever hardwood ‘mega-tube’. Albeit temporary and now successfully recycled, it is regarded as one of the most ambitious structures ever made of CLT using American tulipwood.

While CLT has become a widely accepted means of building around the world, it has been done exclusively in softwood so far.

Exploiting the properties of tulipwood CLT, Architect Alison Brooks came up with the concept of a beam that curves up at both

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ends. The CLT tube is an inherently strong shape, in the same way that a steel tube is.

The curve means that it cantilevers from, effectively, a single point in the centre.

Andrew Lawrence, Arup’s global timber specialist and engineering driving force on the project sees a great potential for tulipwood CLT: “The reason that timber construction has really taken off, in addition to the sustainability argument, is down to three factors. These are CNC fabrication, the invention of CLT and the introduction of cheap modern self-tapping screws. The thing about this project is that it actually combines all three innovations. It is all CLT. Nearly all the connections are modern selftapping screws, and it completely relies on CNC manufacture.”

This creation of a brand-new product and a new use of hardwood will transform the way architects and engineers approach timber construction. “This structure proves that hardwoods have a role to play in the timber construction revolution,” said David Venables, European Director of AHEC and the instigator of the project.

ZÜBLIN Timber, the manufacturer of the CLT for The Smile, has a reputation for specialist one-off projects, and the way that it makes its CLT is different from the approach of other manufacturers said Daniel Kreissig,

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Project Manager of ZÜBLIN Timber. It uses a vacuum technology to create the multi-layer material rather than the pressurised plate approach that is most common. Furthermore ZÜBLIN Timber got one of the most modern and versatile CNC-manufacturing facilities in the timber industry. This allows it to create and machine the curved elements and efficient use of material – both essential for the CLT for The Smile.

The Smile’s design had to take some very demanding circumstances into account.

The shape and the loadings mean that it is in tension at the top over the door and in compression through the floor under the door. In addition to the position of the door, there was the way that The Smile sits on its wooden foundation. This was partly buried in the ground, to minimise the visual impact and, for the same reason, is as small as possible, while not allowing it to be so small that the structure could roll over, lifting the

COVER STORY – ZÜBLIN TIMBER 03

foundation which is weighted by the use of steel weights within the wooded box.

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Another consideration related to the behaviour of visitors. The designers had to allow for the fact that all the visitors could be at one end of the structure at one time – another design consideration was that everybody might stand to one side, tending to turn The Smile on its side.

The structure also had to be strong enough to resist ‘lozenging’, the tendency to distort from a square cross section to a rhomboid when the wind blows from one side with a force equivalent to 10 tonnes. Therefore stiff moment connections were introduced at the roof to wall junction to limit the amount of lozenging. All the connections were achieved with 400mm long self-tapping screws.

05 ZÜBLIN Timber ZÜBLIN Timber stands for ambitious and pioneering solutions in timber construction. We are your single-source provider for the development, production, delivery and execution of high-quality construction systems, from timber projects, timber engineering and timber facade installation. ZÜBLIN Timber works hand-inhand with its clients to develop efficient solutions and a sustainable quality of life.

Design & Build - hand in hand with local project teams of architects and engineers ZÜBLIN Timber develop, design, produce and build timber solutions with 100% passion for your project.

Production - direct access to own modern production facilities ensures flexible and individual manufacturing of a high variety timber components like CLT, glulam and timber facades.

Installation - using decades of experience in project management, project execution and the assembly of timber structures, ZÜBLIN Timber teams are able to guarantee clients a reliable, high-quality construction process.

No matter if your project is a multi-story building, a geometrical complex, structure or a building (timber glass) facade – ZÜBLIN Timber is your partner to realise your vision in timber.

Another challenge came from the sheer size of the elements. CLT lends itself to being made in large pieces and in this case it was essential, as there could not be a joint centre, where the structure is most highly stressed. The Smile was the culmination of an inspirational and collaborative effort by all the project partners to show the untapped strengths and benefits of Tulipwood CLT. To make the point even clearer, ZÜBLIN Timber also recently provided structural tulipwood CLT for Maggie’s Oldham which was constructed from 20 panels of fivelayer cross laminated American tulipwood, ranging in size from 0.5m – 12m long and is being hailed as the first ever structural use of engineered tulipwood for an entire building.

For more information visit: www.zueblin-timber.com

IMAGES: 01. Metropol Parasol. Courtesy David Franck 02. Sheffiled Winter Garden 03-05. The Smile pushed the boundaries of what can be achieved with American Tulipwood CLT. Courtesy of Tom Donald

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STA COLUMN

CSIC – the creative construction hub Alongside the STA’s CEO, Andrew Carpenter and Chairman, Alex Goodfellow of Stewart Milne Timber Systems, STA Board Member Calum Murray of CCG OSM, attended the launch of the new £3 million Construction Scotland Innovation Centre (CSIC) Innovation Factory – here Calum Murray discusses the importance of this initiative.

Located at Hamilton International Technology Park in Lanarkshire, the new Innovation Factory will provide a dynamic environment, away from the conventional building site, where the UK construction industry can innovate, take risks, explore and learn in a safe and supported environment.

CSIC – the organisation behind this ground-breaking initiative – has already relocated to a central hub within the new manufacturing facility. This pioneering initiative which reflects Scotland’s unique heritage in developing offsite solutions – offers 30,000sq ft of workshop space filled with state-of-the-art production, technology and prototyping equipment – ranging from robotics to a semi-automated manufacturing line. UK construction businesses of all sizes can use the facility to test and develop new products, processes, systems and solutions – from early stage ideas through to full commercialisation.

As well as all the latest equipment, the Innovation Factory has a team available to show construction professionals how to use it. The building will also provide a range of collaboration and training facilities to allow organisations in the private, public and academic sectors to share knowledge and information and up-skill the next generation of talent.

Uniquely CSIC has supported the formation of a collaborative of nine leading offsite manufacturing companies in Scotland. The companies include current STA members: CCG (OSM), Stewart Milne Timber Systems, Scotframe, Oregon Timber Systems, Alexander Timber Design, Robertson and Norscot together with non-members Carbon Dynamic and Makar. They in turn have set up a company limited by guarantee – Offsite Solutions Scotland. This has been formed to advance innovation and allow collaboration in research and development, alignment on skills development and the collective branding and marketing of Scotland’s offsite capability and heritage throughout the UK and potentially overseas.

The company will be supported by CSIC, Scottish Enterprise and Edinburgh Napier University.

There is no question that the future looks brighter for the UK construction industry.

The Scottish Government has recently committed to building 50,000 affordable homes for the people of Scotland by 2021, representing a 67% increase in affordable housing supply. Meanwhile, the UK Government has unveiled details of a new £18 million fund to accelerate the delivery of up to 800,000 homes across large sites in England. If the sector is to meet these new housing targets it is clear that change is necessary and inevitable. Government for its part must address the key issues

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of land supply, procurement and statutory approvals delivery – we will otherwise be destined to fail.

The construction industry in turn, must become more resilient and better prepared to address current and future challenges.

Our industry needs to train more people, embrace change and innovation. Practically this means our methods must become more efficient and respond better to skills and labour deficiencies, arising cost and production fluctuations and to genuinely respond to the sustainability and environmental agenda.

CSIC by their investment has recognised that offsite will have a major role to play – so, if you are in the UK and you are involved in construction, visit the outstanding Innovation Factory and see what it has to offer.

Calum Murray Structural Timber Association E: CMurray@c-c-g.co.uk

www.structuraltimber.co.uk

STA NEWS

Driving Quality and Performance Standards Together with growing market share for structural timber build systems, one of the Structural Timber Association’s (STA’s) key objectives is to drive quality, performance standards and product innovation.

STA Technical Library There have been some important updates in the Structural Timber Association’s Technical Library including:

01 Through expert technical guidance and research, underpinned by knowledge share and training – the STA is supporting both members and the wider construction industry to improve quality and performance standards. The STA is running a series of Fire Safety Workshops this autumn across the UK. The purpose of these workshops is to provide the latest Site Safe procedures and complementary Fire Risk Management and Safety information – including 16 steps to Fire Safety and the Association’s latest Advice Notes. The workshops are open to STA members and non-members including system manufacturers, housebuilders, contractors, clients, designers, erectors, architects, HSE & CFOA members.

Forthcoming Workshops • 04 October 2017 at Holiday Inn,

Birmingham Airport, Birmingham • 19 October 2017 at Rugby Sandy Park, Exeter • 24 October 2017 at Royal Cambridge Hotel, Cambridge • 01 November 2017 at Garfield House Hotel, Glasgow For more information or to book your place visit: www.structuraltimber.co.uk/ events

Site Safe Policy - a substantial update and revision to the policy has taken place.

This is now mandatory to all members delivering a building through the process of either manufacture only, manufacture and site assembly, or site assembly only. Site registration with CFOA will be required on projects above 600m2 in total floor area, as per the previous revision.

16 Steps to Fire Safety – this document has been completely updated to address CDM 2015 regulations and to reflect the three stages of a project: Design, Pre-Construction and Construction phase.

More detailed explanations and references can now be found in Advice note 15 parts 1 – 3.

Product Paper 5 – guidance for structural timber frame buildings below 250m2 in total floor area.

The ‘Design guide to separating distances during construction for timber frame buildings’ is a guidance document now in its fourth edition. The STA have worked with the HSE and BRE Global to produce this guidance Please note some information is available to members only. If you have not already visited the library visit: www.structuraltimber.co.uk/library

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Woodknowledge Wales – a Forum for Collaboration and Action By bringing a diverse range of organisations together within a single alliance, Woodknowledge Wales is creating a collaborative network of organisations, from growers to customers, to facilitate information exchange, joint ventures and collective action.

The STA has become a Woodknowledge Wales delivery partner and is working alongside a ‘timber value’ network – including architects, clients, developers, engineers, processors, product manufacturers, distributors, contractors, growers, government agencies, academia and trade bodies as well as sustainability and charitable organisations.

All delivery partners are collaborating to advise the Welsh Government on offsite timber solutions to meet the demand for rapid and energy efficient housing solutions to meet unprecedented demand. It is their intention to have 75% of these constructed in structural timber systems. The latest agreement is to arrange the following: • Round-table debate with RSLs and main contractors to discuss procurement routes and standardisation to find ways of delivering ‘more for less’.

The current process and run rate will mean falling well short of government targets • Arrange an ‘education day’ for government representatives to include a visit to a sawmill, timber frame factory and a construction site • Fire Safety Workshop for Wales.

For more information on Woodknowledge Wales visit: www.woodknowledge.wales

STA NEWS

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Launch of the Timber Trends and Capacity Report The STA are proud to be supporting Timber Expo at the Birmingham NEC and this year will be exhibiting in collaboration with the Confederation of Timber Industries (CTI).

The STA will be hosting a reception to launch the latest Report on Stand T445 on 10 October 2017, between 12.30 – 1.30pm. Members of the STA are invited to come along and join in the celebrations and preview this significant report.

Time for Timber Podcast The newly launched STA Podcast – Time for Timber – can be listened to ‘on the go’ from mobiles or other portable devices.

A series of interviews are planned with high-profile construction professionals and the first Podcast features Tim Snelson, Associate Director for Arup – well known for their adoption of timber technology and multi-disciplinary design, architecture

and engineering services. In this inaugural Podcast, Tim Snelson discusses the opportunities for timber to provide smart solutions to the current and future challenges in the construction industry.

More are planned to include interviews with high profile industry leaders such as Mark Farmer and sector specific Podcasts, with self-build being the next in the schedule.

To listen to the full interview and share on social media go to: https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/ MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=127896 1345&i=1000391820214 IMAGES: 01. Courtesy Kingspan Timber Solutions 02. The STA have launched a new podcast 03. 16 Steps to Fire Safety Guide

PROTECT MEMBRANES AWARDED STA ASSURE GOLD ACCREDITATION Protect Membranes, the construction and roofing membranes company, has been awarded the highest level of membership accreditation to the newly launched STA Assure scheme after assessment by the Structural Timber Association (STA). Achieving Gold Level status, this recognises the range of internal quality standards, management systems and external product performance certification a company holds to provide complete customer assurance in the construction, offsite build and timber frame build sectors.

As the largest UK trade association within the structural timber sector, the STA has established three levels of accreditation to highlight the different specialisms and certification held by members - Gold, Silver and Bronze. Formally recognised by two of the industry’s leading structural warranty

and building control bodies, LABC Warranty and Premier Guarantee, STA Assure offers clients total supply chain transparency in future construction projects and a Gold Accreditation demonstrates the commitment of member companies to meet or even exceed current legislation and regulatory requirements.

As a product supply chain member of the STA, Protect Membranes fully meets the requirements of Gold Accreditation by offering an extensive range of independent certification and quality standards. This includes fully audited internal quality procedures to ISO 9001, ISO 14001 for sustainability procedures and OSHAS 18001 for H&S procedures. It also includes a comprehensive technical support service backed up by a thorough product performance testing programme to ensure

CE Mark and Declaration of Performance compliance as well as third party independent certification to BM TRADA Q-Mark for its range of construction membranes, airtightness products and roofing underlays and accessories.

John Mellor, Product Manager of Protect Membranes comments: “As a proud member of the STA, we are delighted to be awarded the STA Assure Gold Accreditation, the highest accolade that is achievable.

Meeting this accreditation criteria gives us a platform to offer added reassurance to our customers.”

For details of how Protect products could be incorporated into your build, please visit www.protectmembranes.com, email info@protectmembranes.com or call 0161 905 5700, quoting ‘STA Assure’.

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UK INDUSTRY NEWS CONSTRUCTION ‘INNOVATION FACTORY’ LAUNCHES

Hundreds of delegates who were interested in the future of Scottish construction were among the first to see Construction Scotland Innovation Centre’s (CSIC’s) pioneering new £2million Innovation Factory, when it launched on 11 September with a major industry event.

The launch event brought together over 300 construction professionals for a series of industry-leading speakers, interactive workshops and demonstrations, all taking place within the new Innovation Factory itself.

The Innovation Factory, located at Hamilton International Technology Park in Lanarkshire and supported by Scottish Funding Council and Scottish Enterprise, will allow anyone within the construction industry to access 35,000 sq. ft. of workshop space fitted out with state-of-the-art production and prototyping equipment and technology.

Construction businesses of all sizes can use the facility to test and develop new products, processes, systems and solutions, from early stage ideas through to commercial realisation. The building will also provide a range of collaboration and training facilities to allow organisations in the private, public and academic sectors

to share knowledge and information. The workshop space and equipment will also be used for training purposes, allowing the industry to attract and develop fresh talent and build new skills using the latest virtual reality and drone technology, automated manufacturing equipment and advanced robotics as part of a move towards greater productivity.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: “The opening of CSIC’s Innovation Factory, the only facility of its kind in the UK, will offer businesses across the country access to cutting edge technology and a stateof-the-art facility. We want to see more collaboration in the future, across the public and private sector, and I would encourage everyone to get involved and make the most of the Innovation Factory.”

The new facility will house state-of-the-art construction and manufacturing equipment, complete with a five tonne overhead gantry crane for heavy lifting. The equipment which will be available to use at the new facility includes a cross laminated timber (CLT) production table capable of manufacturing 3 x 9m panels and glulam timber components using homegrown timber.

There will also be an offsite closed panel

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‘cell’ to assist Scottish offsite construction firms in developing higher performing multilayer construction systems and for training a new generation of offsite operatives to deliver Scotland’s 50,000 new homes.

David Philp, Global BIM/IM Consultancy Director at AECOM and Chair of the Scottish BIM Delivery Group, said: “These are exciting times for the construction industry, with the dynamics and behaviours of both client and supply chain organisations becoming more collaborative, technologically advanced and outcomebased. A momentum is building in the convergence of these themes, unlocking a new wave of innovation in an ever modernised sector. The Innovation Factory is a fantastic facility which will play a huge part in helping Scotland’s construction organisations to innovate, collaborate, learn and adopt high-value advanced manufacturing processes. Having the factory open is a massive boost for the industry.”

To find out more about the Innovation Factory and how to take advantage of it, contact the CSIC team on: hello@cs-ic.org or visit: www.cs-ic.org

UK INDUSTRY NEWS CCG SECURES £100 MILLION PROJECT PIPELINE IN 2017 Glasgow-based construction firm CCG (Scotland) Ltd has reported a very busy 2017 so far with a large number of live projects across the country and a £100 million project pipeline leading into 2018.

Pioneers in the use of offsite methods of construction, CCG is currently live on 16 projects across the country comprising more than 1,000 new, mixed tenure homes across Scotland.

While the company, which employs 650 including 70 trade apprentices, is working on an extensive range of housing projects they are also continuing to push the boundaries of innovation in the Scottish housing sector shown through a state-of-

the-art residential housing development in Yoker, west Glasgow. Ellerslie Road comprises 46 units for Sanctuary Scotland and once complete, the seven storey building – constructed entirely with cross laminated timber (CLT) – will be the tallest timber structure in Scotland. Working with specialist contractor Eurban – CCG was able to install the building’s superstructure wind and watertight in a net-period of 16 weeks.

Commenting on the company’s performance over the past six months, Alastair Wylie, Chairman and Chief Executive of CCG (Scotland) Ltd said: “It’s been an incredibly strong start to 2017 and CCG continues to go from strength to strength as we evolve our approach and enter new markets. CCG have always taken a pioneering approach to building, particularly in the applied use of offsite construction methods. This approach

included the private investment in our bespoke offsite manufacturing factory CCG OSM, where we continuing to research and develop our product offering in the delivery of closed panel timber systems.

“We are also looking to evolve our construction practices through the use of CLT represented by our work at Yoker, a unique development for the Scottish residential sector. CCG’s group strategy has lead us to successfully enter new markets and new sectors including education, health and commercial. Our team are doing an outstanding job and are coming together to bring this company to new heights. We are always striving to evolve our construction practices, never standing still and always trying to do more for clients. We are looking forward to what the future holds.”

SOURCE: www.c-c-g.co.uk

UK INDUSTRY NEWS ACCOYA WIN GOLD AGAIN

TIMBER PRICES SOARING SAY FMB A third of small building firms say that soaring material prices are squeezing their margins and almost a quarter have had to pass these price increases onto consumers, according to the latest research by the Federation of Master Builders (FMB).

Construction SMEs have reported a range of material price increases since the depreciation of sterling following the EU referendum in June 2016. Small building firms were asked which materials have increased the most and the results were as follows:

Accoya has been successfully re-awarded Gold status by the prestigious Cradle to Cradle (C2C) Product Innovation Institute, in recognition of its sustainable credentials across its lifespan. The industry standard for a products environmental performance and societal impact, the successful recertification, valid until June 2019, comes as more rigorous assessment processes have been introduced for 2017.

The certification highlights the importance of using the Cradle to Cradle philosophy in construction and joinery projects and demonstrates the positive impact of C2C products on the environment. Awarded the C2C Gold certificate for its sustainable wood sourcing strategy, the use of more than 50% renewable energy while being fully non-toxic, Accoya wood perfectly fits the C2C bio-cycle, as well as matching the technical performance of non-renewable, carbon intensive materials from the technocycle, such as PVC and aluminium.

Accoya was also re-awarded Platinum status, the highest possible certification level, in the category for Material Health.

This was issued as a separate certificate, and highlights that the product poses no danger to either the environment or human health.

Furthermore, having confirmed through C2C Material Health that Accoya is non-toxic and free from hazardous chemicals, it exceeds the benchmarks for any international Google project and has been listed as an optimised product on Google’s healthy materials portal, Portico. Accoya is the only structural building material to achieve this prestigious accolade to date and further ensures it stands up to every application challenge from decking to cladding and doors to structural beams.

Paul Clegg, CEO for Accsys Group, manufacturer of Accoya wood, commented: “We are delighted that Accoya has once again been awarded C2C Gold Status and recognised for its non-toxic properties with a Platinum classification for Material Health. New, more stringent, assessment processes make the re-certification even more reflective of the business’ ethos. Our environmental impact is of huge importance to us, from our FSC-certified timber sources to our acetylation process that enables our wood to be safely reused, recycled and incinerated.”

SOURCE: www.accoya.com

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1. Timber 2. Insulation 3. Bricks 4. Blocks 5. Windows 6. Plasterboard / Slate (joint sixth) 7. Boilers and radiators 8. Porcelain products.

Brian Berry, Chief Executive of the FMB, said: “Material price increases have left builders under severe pressure. This research shows that following the fall in the exchange rate, timber is the material that the majority of builders say has increased most in price but the problem doesn’t end there – everything from insulation to windows to bricks and blocks are soaring in price. A third of builders report that these price increases are eating into their already razor-thin margins – and this on top of increased wages and salaries stemming from long-term construction skills shortages. Furthermore, one-in-ten builders say that they’ve actually made losses on projects due to material price increases – this is most likely to happen when a particular product or material jumps up in price mid-project when then builder has already quoted for the work. Perhaps unwisely, some builders are absorbing these extra costs as opposed to re-quoting for the project.”

SOURCE: www.fmb.org.uk

UK INDUSTRY NEWS CARBON DYNAMICS & FIT HOMES UNDER THE SPOTLIGHT

Timber modular housing pioneer Carbon Dynamic welcomed minister for local government and housing, Kevin Stewart MSP, to its Invergordon factory where it’s currently developing Saltire Award-winning ‘Fit Homes’ in partnership with Albyn Housing Society and NHS Highland.

other areas such as health, to address the underlying causes of homelessness, including for disabled people. It is one of our ambitions that disabled people in Scotland should live life to the full in homes built or adapted to enable them to participate as full and equal citizens.

The minister toured the facility with project leaders and viewed the homes in advance of them being transported to Alness and installed with the latest sensors and ‘internet of things’ technology this autumn. The homes, which could potentially transform the relationship between health and housing by helping to prevent episodes or events leading to ill health through data capture and health analytics, were developed through co-design with partners, tenants and health and care professionals, making the project the first of its kind to be developed in the UK and possibly, the world.

Matt Stevenson, Managing Director at Carbon Dynamic, added: “It has been fantastic to welcome the Minister to Invergordon and show him the wide range of projects we currently have in development, all of which have been created to deliver social and environmental impact. The visit has also given us the opportunity to demonstrate our work to develop a fully digitised process, which includes our use of Virtual and Augmented Reality. By driving efficiency, innovation and progress in the circular economy, this approach could transform the industry, should it be adopted more widely.”

The Minister said: “This government is committed to tackling homelessness and we will continue to work with a range of partners, not just in housing but in

Alongside Matt, the project is being led by Lucy Fraser, Head of Innovation at Albyn Housing Society, in partnership with Dr

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Angus JM Watson, Director of Research and Development at NHS Highland. Lucy added: “By combining innovations in modular construction, digital technology and health and social care, we believe the Fit Home provides a sustainable model that will not only have the potential to prevent episodes or events leading to ill health, they could enable people to live independently in their communities for longer.

The pilot phase of the Fit Home project – 16 homes at Dalmore in Alness, Ross-shire – will provide proof of concept. The project concepts are being supported by a Scottish Government housing grant and funding from the Inverness-Highland City-Region Deal, whilst researchers at the University of the Highlands and Islands will develop the proof of concept research with financial support from the Digital Health and Care Institute.

SOURCE: www.scottishhousingnews.com

IMAGE: 01. From left - Kevin Stewart MSP, Matt Stevenson, Managing Director, Carbon Dynamic; Lucy Fraser, Head of Innovation, Albyn Housing Society and Professor Angus JM Watson, Director of Research, Development at NHS Highland

UK INDUSTRY NEWS BSW & TILHILL FORESTRY ANNOUNCE VERTICAL SUPPLY CHAIN INTEGRATION George McRobbie, Managing Director of Tilhill Forestry, recently announced the final stage of the completion of Tilhill Forestry’s integration into the BSW Group. This last stage involves the combining of the BSW Sawmills UK log buying team with Tilhill Forestry’s timber harvesting team.

The integration process will be a phased process completing by 31st March 2018.

Once the integration is complete Tilhill Forestry will have sole responsibility for the sawlog supply into BSW’s UK sawmills.

Tilhill Forestry will continue to supply sawlogs, small round wood and biomass to its other customers with no change to the current security of supply or contract terms.

“This is an exciting opportunity for both companies and is a logical consolidation following the acquisition of Tilhill by BSW two years ago,” said George McRobbie.

“This change will bring efficiency gains and provide a strong and robust foundation for us to develop improvements to the timber supply chain not just for BSW but for Tilhill’s other customers too.” Harry Stevens’ role on the Tilhill Board of Directors will change.

He will become the Timber Buying Director and be responsible for the expanded timber buying and harvesting function. He added: “Combining the two teams will make the best use of the skill sets and talent we have across the organisation. The new set up will be good for the company, our staff and our customers.”

Tilhill Forestry, a wholly owned subsidiary of the BSW Timber Group, was established nearly 70 years ago. The company provides a full range of consultancy and contracting services to the forest owner and forestry investor. BSW is the most technologically advanced sawmill company in the UK employing over 1,300 people. Together, BSW and Tilhill Forestry form a strong partnership in the forest industry that will deliver quality from beginning to end – from creating new forests through to producing timber end products.

SOURCE: www.tilhill.com | www.bsw.co.uk

NEW ROOFING GUIDE REDUCES RISK Despite an overall drop in fatalities, working at height remains the biggest danger for construction workers, and the biggest risk of non-fatal injury. The three main sources of falls from height injuries and fatalities are fragile roof lights, scaffolding and ladders, but installing roof trusses is another complex and potentially risky job for housebuilders.

It requires specific construction skills which involve both working at height and handling dynamically unstable materials.

New guidance on the safe installation of roof trusses on new homes of masonry construction has been published to help reduce risks onsite to builders working at height. ‘How to safely install roof trusses’ has been produced by the Trussed Rafter Association (TRA) in partnership with health and safety consultants Paramount Safety Solutions, and is available as a free download from the TRA website.

The new TRA guide gives information needed on preparing and installing roof trusses safely, and will provide principle designers and main contractors with a basis for their CDM construction phase plan.

Jonathan Fellingham, TRA chairman, said: “With the dangerous combination of a strong drive to build more new homes faster than ever before and a significant skills shortage in the sector, we have real concerns about

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whether contractors are receiving the right training and guidance when it comes to working on the roof. Roof truss installation must be properly planned, carefully supervised and only carried out by qualified and experienced workers, such as those with a Level 2 diploma in site carpentry. There can be no short cuts to keeping our workers safe.”

Jake Tyrell, Health and Safety Director at Paramount Safety Solutions, added: “Due to how unstable roof trusses are in the first stages of installation, a full site-specific risk assessment must be undertaken by either the contractor or installer. Only once it has been deemed safe should anyone progress with the installation. This installation guide is an essential read for anyone involved with installing roof trusses on site.”

You can download the new installation guide from the TRA website: http://tra.org.uk

UK INDUSTRY NEWS SHED PROJECT A SUSTAINABLE SOLUTION TO LONDON’S HOUSING CRISIS

An innovative project to help combat London’s housing crisis has been unveiled from Lowe Guardians and Studio Bark architects. Modular SHEDs (taken from the word SHarED), which are manufactured offsite and can be installed in the space of a day, allow for self-contained living within vacant buildings such as disused warehouses or office spaces.

The SHED Project makes use of environmentally sound SMARTPLY OSB panels to create individual ‘U-Build’ modules which are insulated and soundproof and can provide a unique living space for the growing ‘property guardians’ market. These guardians tend to be young professionals, keyworkers and creatives who pay reduced rent to live in empty properties in order to keep out squatters.

The modules are designed to reduce the impact property guardians have on vacant buildings by providing an easy-to-install private living solution and reducing waste when these short-term tenants move on to new sites. Equally, however, the modules

themselves are designed to be low-impact and use environmentally-friendly, sustainable materials with a reduced carbon footprint.

Wilf Meynell, Director at Studio Bark said: “The SMARTPLY panels are an affordable and environmentally conscious material.

Manufactured from the thinnings of fast-growing timber, the product will also sequester carbon over its lifespan, helping to reduce the effects of global warming. We were drawn to the material not only for its environmental credentials but also because of its smooth, pressed finish which can be left exposed for the interior of the modules.”

The modules give tenants a private space which they are able to take ownership of and decorate themselves. Easy to dismantle and install, the SHEDs are suited to the lives of young professionals and creatives. In light of the lifestyle challenges facing young people living in the capital today, these new pods provide a sustainable and flexible solution to accommodation.

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“It’s fantastic that our sustainable products are helping to combat the lack of affordable housing for young people,” said Stuart Devoil, Head of Marketing and Brand at MEDITE SMARTPLY. “The difficulties facing young people today who are trying to make a life for themselves in the capital are immense. Lowes Guardians and Studio Bark have created a revolutionary solution that is easy-to-install, low-impact and hugely exciting as a new way for people to live. It’s even more exciting when you consider the solution this project could provide for homelessness and the refugee crisis. We’ll be following its progress with great enthusiasm and interest!”

Watch a video for the project here: http://bit.ly/2tu8TFP

UK INDUSTRY NEWS GET READY FOR THE ECOBUILD TIMBER DISTRICT

Following its acquisition of ecobuild, new owner Futurebuild Events Ltd, has set about making big changes to the 2018 event, to ensure a fresh and relevant format that is like no other trade show.

“In 2018, ecobuild is going to be very different,” says Martin Hurn, Managing Director of Futurebuild Events Ltd. “We understand that the show has to be as relevant and valuable as possible for visitors, and that’s why we’ve involved the wider industry in shaping ecobuild 2018.

Under the new ownership of Futurebuild Events Ltd, we see our role as organisers to facilitate, rather than dictate the agenda – bringing together the most innovative, exciting and inspiring brands, companies and speakers. Our goal is to bring the future of the built environment to life in an engaging way. In short, we want to ensure that every visitor to ecobuild 2018 leaves the event having gained real insight into the built environment, including key sectors such as the timber industry.

“The centrepiece of this year’s show will be a comprehensive conference programme, surrounded by a series of futurebuild districts. Research from last year’s event showed that timber was one of the building materials that visitors were most interested in. As such, an area specifically dedicated to timber will be featured at this year’s show. The Timber District will help to drive the discussion around the material and its use in offsite construction, and will showcase the latest innovations in timber use, including timber framing among others.

“The area will be supported by the Structural Timber Association (STA), Wood for Good, Timber Trade Federation (TTF), British Woodworking Federation (BWF) and the Timber Research and Development Association (TRADA). These partners will help to curate a new seminar programme within the Timber District, including a series of three ‘timber talks’ focused on key topics affecting the industry. Across the three day event, visitors will also experience the TRADA bookshop, where members of the TRADA team discuss its latest publications, and a new timber pavilion called the Launch

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Pad, where SMEs and start-up companies can get support with their new product launches. Visitors will also have access to a dedicated three-day Offsite Buyer and Specifier Forum, which has been designed to bring together 100 offsite and timber buyers at ecobuild.

“The new approach to ecobuild, teamed with the appetite and opportunity surrounding timber and its use in offsite construction, makes the event an unmissable platform for professionals across the industry. What we have already got lined up is exciting. But for ecobuild 2018, we want to challenge the sector to move even more into the forefront – we want to hear from you. We want you to help us refine activities at the event and ensure we are showcasing the very latest thinking and innovations in the sector.

To get involved and share your thoughts on how you want the show to look, contact the ecobuild team on social media using the hashtag #yourecobuild or email: martin.hurn@ecobuild.co.uk For more information on ecobuild 2018 visit: www.ecobuild.co.uk

EGGER

EGGER Protect: the industry game changer Lowfield Timber Frames have been using EGGER OSB 3 and EGGER’s structural flooring product, EGGER Protect in newbuild projects for over a decade. In a recent project for their client Architectural Homes, Lowfield Timber Frames built and installed the structural flooring system using EGGER Protect.

“We don’t have and never have had any external sales presence. We do a good honest job, provide a good honest product and rely on repeat business together with word of mouth. As a result, our business has grown year on year, despite the recession. We take pride in what we do and that starts with sourcing quality products that we can rely on. You can’t make a ‘silk purse out of a sow’s ear’!

“EGGER products, both OSB 3 and their flagship flooring, EGGER Protect have been our staple diet for over 10 years. They have proved the test of time and most importantly the British climate, which has been known to be a little damp at times. Having the 60-day exposure guarantee gives peace of mind to us the manufacturer and the customer.

Limiting defects is critical, especially while margins are what they are. Having products you can rely on is key to our success.”

01 With over 20 years’ experience supplying engineered timber products to regional and national housing developers, and also into the self-build market, Lowfield Timber Frames Ltd in Shropshire is one of the UK's leading timber frame and structural insulated panel system (SIPS) suppliers. The company successfully navigated the downturn in the construction industry and is continuing to thrive by focusing on innovative, bespoke solutions combined with quality materials and a first rate service for their clients.

The impressive five-bedroom, fourbathroom, three-reception room family home in Liphook, was designed and built with low energy and maintenance in mind, using the latest insulation materials and glass technology. EGGER’s reputation and commitment to producing quality market-

leading solutions is a key factor in Lowfield’s continued use of their structural flooring products. Designed to help housebuilders deliver their projects on time and on budget, the security of supply and value-added features help to tackle unexpected site delays, such as bad weather.

“It’s fair to say, the last five years in the construction industry have been testing times for everyone,” says Tim Morris, Commercial Manager at Lowfield Timber Frames. “The tough economic climate has seen many long-established timber frame manufacturers fall by the wayside, begging the question what those left behind have been doing ‘right’? Lowfield Timber Frames pride ourselves on quality – both quality of product and quality of service.

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EGGER is the leading manufacturer of woodbased panels in Europe. EGGER Protect is the only structural floorboard on the market that can be left exposed to the elements for 60 days, giving UK housebuilders flexibility and added peace of mind. It is manufactured from the company’s P5 flooring grade particleboard with a weather resistant surface applied to both sides: it’s hard-wearing, easy to clean with an anti-slip surface. The board can be installed during light rain conditions and is easily cleaned in preparation for handover to the customer.

As well its industry-unrivalled 60 day protection and lifetime guarantee, EGGER Protect is quick to install and can be used with underfloor heating systems and tiles. Other time-saving features include its concrete-effect finish, which means no post-installation painting is required.

This innovative product not only provides protection from moisture during the construction process, but also throughout

EGGER the life of the property. The permanent surface layers prevent water damage that can be caused by burst pipes and leaking appliances.

Alan White, Director of Sales for Building Products at EGGER UK, explains the significance of EGGER Protect to the UK construction industry: “EGGER Protect is a game changer for our customers. We all know that there are many reasons why the building process can be delayed: from bad weather to material and skills shortages, floors can be left at risk of becoming structurally unsound.

“Following rigorous testing, we now guarantee that EGGER Protect can be left exposed to the elements for an industry unrivalled 60 days. Whilst the previous 42 days is usually more than enough, we recognise that extra flexibility is required from time to time. EGGER Protect is the only chipboard flooring on the market that, once laid, can be exposed to British weather for this length of time. This extended protection period is significant for any builder and its EXOVA approval rating endorses this.

Whatever the weather, you have 60 days protection.”

CE and FSC-certified, EGGER Protect boards are produced from sustainable raw materials on one of the most sophisticated production lines in Europe. Each board has a tongue and groove profile, cut with unique diamond-tipped tooling, creating stronger and consistently tighter fitting joints.

EGGER Protect is part of a portfolio of structural P5 grade flooring boards with enhanced moisture resistant properties, which also includes EGGER P5 and EGGER Peel Clean Xtra. These tongue and groove boards are part of the company’s industry leading Advanced Structural Flooring System which is specifically designed to save time,

02 money and manpower on projects.

EGGER is so confident in manufacturing superior structural flooring products, the company offers a lifetime guarantee for every floor fitted using its Advanced Structural Flooring System.

To achieve optimal results, EGGER Joint & Joist D4 adhesive must be used. The correct application of the glue creates a fully sealed working deck, protection against moisture ingress and the wear and tear of heavy site traffic. No joint sealing tape is required.

When fitted using EGGER’s recommended installation process, the floor is backed by the EGGER Lifetime Guarantee.

During 2017 EGGER has invested over £10 million within its building products division at its UK headquarters in the North East of England. The latest investments include a new tongue and groove (T&G) panel processing and packaging line with further processing facilities and lamination line. At a cost of approximately £5 million, the new T&G line is helping EGGER to strengthen its position and commitment within the UK construction industry. Meanwhile its £6 million investment in a new lamination line will secure and grow production capabilities of its melamine faced boards including EGGER Protect.

Bob Livesey, Commercial Director at EGGER UK, explains: “Through investments in new technology and the production of marketleading products, alongside continual maintenance of equipment, we aim to give our customers confidence in the knowledge that they’re being supplied with the best quality materials manufactured in the most technologically advanced facility in Europe.

“Investment enables us to continue leading the way in a challenging market place and reinforces our commitment to our customers when there is a recognised need to build more homes. We want to provide the UK market, our customers and end users with security and peace of mind that we are here for the long term in all areas we supply.”

To find out more about EGGER Protect contact the EGGER building products hotline on 0845 602 4444, email: building.uk@egger.com or visit: www.egger.com/building

IMAGES: 01-02. EGGER’s products were used in a high-performance specification for a stunning self-build home from Lowfield Timber Frames.

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PANEL PRODUCTS

Great Lengths and Widths for New OSB With a focus on customer driven innovation, MEDITE SMARTPLY has developed a unique range of innovative oriented strand board (OSB) solutions perfectly suited to today’s demanding offsite applications.

01 Further to commissioning Europe’s latest and most advanced ContiRoll® manufacturing press last year, SMARTPLY OSB3 and the newly introduced high strength OSB4 are now available in panel sizes up to 7.5m x 2.8m – ideal for large spans or manufacturing large format cassettes. Not only is the size impressive, but the new manufacturing facility now produces the flattest, squarest and most accurate board SMARTPLY have ever produced, perfect for these highly demanding requirements.

In addition to the benefits provided by the method of manufacture, new customer-led innovations have seen SMARTPLY move to the forefront of speciality OSB products.

SMARTPLY PROPASSIV, the world’s first

airtight and vapour-tight timber panel to be classified by the Passive House Institute, is designed with low energy and Passive House construction in mind.

Specially developed to feature an airtight core and vapour control coating to one face, the board is installed as any other OSB structural wall sheathing, then simply taped at the joints to provide an airtight seal. With high racking strength, a smooth finish to help the tape adhere and a robust construction, the panel does the job of structural panel and air and vapour control layers (AVCL) membranes, all in one. Cost saving, labour reduction and resistance to damage are all key benefits that have made SMARTPLY PROPASSIV one of the most talked about new products in the low energy sector.

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By listening to customers and trying to address their needs, SMARTPLY keep developing unique products for difficult applications. With a need to provide safe, reliable and certified flame retardant products key to timber frame construction, SMARTPLY FR OSB is manufactured with the environmentally safe, flame retardant chemical ‘built in’ to the panel. By treating the timber flakes before the board is manufactured, the panel maintains its integrity and CE mark, regardless of what you do to it.

IMAGES: 01. SMARTPLY large format panels 02. SMARTPLY FR OSB is manufactured with the environmentally safe, flame retardant chemical ‘built in’ to the panel.

03. Panel testing is a rigorous procedure

Innovation in timber engineering Innovation in timber engineering

THE SUPERCHARGED Innovation in timber engineering THE SUPERCHARGED TIMBER COMPONENT CUTTING THE SUPERCHARGED TIMBER COMPONENT CUTTING

TURBO-DRIVE TURBO-DRIVE TURBO-DRIVE

TIMBER COMPONENT CUTTING 02

The most versatile truss and frame The most versatile component truss and frame cutting machine The most versatile component in the UK market truss and frame cutting machine component My Hundegger and me! in the UK market cutting machine Never change a winning team! in UK market Mythe Hundegger and me!

03 •

Where post-manufacture treatments are damaged by cutting, drilling or fixing, the integral flame retardant of SMARTPLY FR OSB remains intact. Featuring zero added formaldehyde and Zeroignition® water-based flame retardant, the board is completely safe, with no borons or carcinogens. With this peace of mind and the new large panel sizes, these boards are rapidly becoming the product of choice for specifiers and designers alike. With large format panels, labour saving airtight structural boards and dependable, certified flame retardant products, MEDITE SMARTPLY are setting new standards of what can be done with OSB and proving that not all OSB is created equal.

For more information on SMARTPLY OSB products visit: www.mdfosb.com

Never change a winning team!

Impressive 450 x 160 mm capacity Mycutting Hundegger and me!

Never Cutting timber dimensions in change 5 axis a winning team!

Impressive 450 x 160 mm cutting capacity Excellent for the high production of Cutting timber dimensions in 5 axis roofing trusses, framing Impressive 450 xand 160timber mm cutting capacity Excellent for the high production of Seamlessly links to all the main Cutting timber dimensions in 5 axis roofing trusses, and timber framing CAD software suppliers • Excellent for the high production of • Seamlessly links to all the main • roofing In built Board-Stretcher trusses, and timber framing CAD software suppliers Yields more links and waste less timber • Seamlessly to all the main • In built Board-Stretcher CAD software suppliers • Fast, accurate, flexible and affordable • Yields more and waste less timber • In built Board-Stretcher Hans Hundegger AGflexible and affordable • Fast, accurate, •ChrisYields more and waste less timber Osborne 2 Court Hans Hundegger AGflexible and affordable • Cuebar Fast, accurate, Lashford Lane Dry Sandford, Oxon OX13 6JP Chris Osborne Tel: 01865 736444,AG email: chris@hundeggeruk.com Hans Hundegger 2 Cuebar Court Chris Osborne Lashford Lane Dry Sandford, Oxon OX13 6JP 2 Cuebar Tel: 01865Court 736444, email: chris@hundeggeruk.com Lashford Lane Dry Sandford, Oxon OX13 6JP Tel: 01865 736444, email: chris@hundeggeruk.com

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27.02.2017 11:40:59

FAIR PAYMENTS & BREXIT

Optimistic Outlook for Timber Jason Robinson, construction specialist and Technical Underwriting Manager at Euler Hermes UK sees a positive period ahead for timber frame despite increasing Brexit pressures.

expected to contract by 1.9% this year and a further 2.3% in 2018, which will have an impact on future work pipelines.

The timber industry has enjoyed a buoyant period since last year’s EU referendum, driven largely by the UK housebuilders and shortages in other building materials that has seen demand for timber products grow. However with construction output now falling, qualified labour shortages and significant medium term uncertainty there are signs of increased stress emerging, caused mainly by the uncertainty surrounding the UK’s future relationship with the EU. UK construction is particularly vulnerable to sudden fluctuations in the strength of Sterling. More than a quarter of all materials used across the sector are imported and the fall in Sterling has pushed up the cost of timber imports by more than 20% since last June. Businesses have handled the pressure well up to now and insolvency levels in the supply chain have remained low over the period. According to the Federation of Master Builders (FMB), only 22% of timber firms have had to pass on price rises to their customers and the vast majority of importers have shielded themselves through hedging policies and by breaking up shipments.

However, there are concerns that cracks are now starting to appear. The assumption that ultra-thin margin contracts procured during the financial crisis would be replaced by higher value work is yet to be realised.

Ultimately, margins across construction remain very low – 3-4% at best – and continued increases in timber prices will leave businesses with little choice but to pass greater costs on to customers. Our economists forecast that Sterling will drop to an average of 1.05 to 1.10 against the Euro in 2018 compared to 1.12 to 1.15 this year, making further rises inevitable.

This leaves strong potential for an increase in late and defaulted payments across the timber supply chain. The risk will be significantly heightened for those contractors, such as timber cladders and fit-out companies, who arrive on site last and are at the mercy of budgets over running. The small to medium-sized firms, without the scale and balance sheets of their larger rivals, may be unable to compete for contracts at lower margins in what could well turn into a race to the bottom. The continued fall in commercial activity is also of concern. Looking forward, Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) levels are

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Stress in some areas of the supply chain is being offset by the forecasted growth in housebuilding, which should provide timber frame producers with an upswing in work volumes. The number of newbuild properties is expected to tip over the 200,000 mark next year according to the Structural Timber Association (STA), and with the continued shortages in brick and growth in offsite construction, we expect the larger housebuilders to use more timber frame. Together with the environmental advantages, the advances in offsite in terms of speed of build remain and we expect more businesses to target the significant cost and labour benefits in reaction to rising timber prices. But while businesses operating across the residential supply chain are optimistic, the threat of a slowdown in house prices is keeping confidence in check.

The lack of substance from the Brexit negotiations is starting to impact longer term investment decisions and projects creating a very uncertain outlook for the UK economy as a whole. This uncertainty means there is no clarity on future tariffs (on timber imports), therefore it is more difficult to plan for the long-term. We expect the threat of late payments to increase as timber prices rise and advise that businesses keep a close eye on their customers and suppliers to help avoid any financial risk.

For more information visit: www.eulerhermes.com Twitter @eulerhermes

ADVERTORIAL

ExtremegreenTM – a superior building board Extremegreentm represents a quantum shift in fire wall and fire suppression technology and has been designed to replace plywood, OSB and gypsum-based sheet building products.

Containing no toxins, Extremegreen™ is safe for contractors to work with. It contains no carcinogens such as formaldehyde and crystalline silica, no VOCs, no asbestos or any of the other harsh chemicals and bonding agents found in competing building products. Simply put, the magnesium oxide that is used to manufacture the board is all natural. Not only is the product people safe, it is especially helpful to those with allergies, asthma or chemical sensitivities.

Extremegreen™ can be used for interior and exterior applications, is 100% recyclable and contains zero toxins or additives. This high-density magnesium oxide based sheathing board consists of a proprietary composition of magnesium oxide (MgO) and magnesium chloride (MgCl2) that is reinforced with multiple layers of glass fibre mesh. The sheets are manufactured in various lengths, widths and thicknesses and are used as external sheathing panels, internal wall lining, tile backer board, flooring, sub-flooring, roofing and for the manufacture of structural insulated panels (SIPS).

As a non-combustible sheathing product, it does not burn and is rated with zero flame and smoke spread. Water that is chemically bound into the board during the manufacturing process is released during a fire event – helping to contain and minimise fire and smoke spread. The proprietary design and formula offers superior structural and high-impact strength, stiffness and durability.

Manufactured in a strict quality controlled environment, Extremegreen™ is subject to a stringent third-party ISO Certified Quality Assurance programme to ensure product quality and consistency are maintained.

Components are 100% inorganic, resulting in a dimensionally stable building product with unparalleled resistance to environmental exposure – it can therefore be installed in any weather.

The structural integrity of a sheet of Extremegreen™ is not compromised by exposure to water. Not only will it withstand the worst that nature can throw at it, unlike many other sheet building products on the market today, it does not rot or mould, nor does it feed mildew. You will never find toxic black mold in a sheet of Extremegreen™ regardless of whatever harsh conditions it is exposed to. It is also does not attract pests as there is nothing for them to eat and is one of the few building products on the market today that can claim to be completely infestation proof by any wood boring insect.

Due to its smooth ‘venetian plaster’ like finish, Extremegreen™ produces beautifully finished Level 5 walls every time. Cost savings can accrue to as much as 50% on plaster and paint. Typically, it only needs two coats of paint, providing significant labour savings too.

The principal raw material of Extremegreen™ is magnesium oxide, which is a naturally occurring inorganic mineral and is a very low energy manufacturing process. The finished product does not require kiln firing, as the boards cure by way of a precisely controlled and monitored exothermic chemical reaction. CO2 is absorbed during the curing process and waste Extremegreen™ acts as a nutrient when ground up and sprinkled into soil.

Extremegreen™ is available in the UK exclusively through RCM Building Boards and Facades - for more information visit: www.buildingboards.co.uk/index.php/ products/extremegreen/

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STRUCTURAL TIMBER AWARDS 2017 SHORTLIST SPONSORS:

Get ready for the Structural Timber Awards and celebrate the best in building with the world’s leading mainstream, low-carbon construction material. With over 250 entries it is the largest and most prestigious Awards specifically targeted to structural timber.

The Awards reward outstanding projects, innovative products and dynamic people that are promoting excellence in structural timber across the UK. Across key sectors of construction, the Awards showcase innovation, celebrate best practice and

recognise expertise in timber technology and the ways it contributes to an attractive, energy efficient and sustainable built environment.

To get you in the mood and whet your appetite here is a quick look at this year’s shortlisted entries. Winners of the Structural Timber Awards will be revealed at the awards ceremony on Tuesday 10 October at the National Conference Centre (formerly known as the National Motorcycle Museum) during UK Construction Week.

SOCIAL HOUSING

01

Good luck to all of the finalists and thank you for entering. Also look out for the special commemorative Awards publication featuring all of those shortlisted for the 2017 Awards.

Full details on the event and venue directions can be found at: www.structuraltimberawards.co.uk

SPONSORED BY:

02

03

04

05

01 ARK Consultancy | 02 B & K Structures | 03 RG+P | 04 SIG Offsite | 05 T2 Architects

PRIVATE HOUSING

SPONSORED BY:

01 02

07 08 03

05

04

06 09 10

01 B & K Structures | 02 CCG (Scotland) | 03 David Miller Architects | 04 Innovare Systems | 05 Platform 5 Architects | 06 SIG Offsite | 07 Simon Conder Associates | 08 Stewart Milne Timber Systems | 09 Urban Splash & Places for People | 10 Webb Yates Engineers

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STRUCTURAL TIMBER AWARDS 2017 SHORTLIST CUSTOM & SELF-BUILD

SPONSORED BY:

03 04

01 02

05

01 Ashton Porter Architects | 02 William Stanwix | 03 JML Contracts | 04 Platform 5 Architects | 05 RSHP

EDUCATION

SPONSORED BY:

03 04

01 02

05

01 B & K Structures | 02 Berman Guedes Stretton Architects | 03 Hewitt Studios | 04 Innovare Systems | 05 Peter Taylor Associates

HEALTHCARE

SPONSORED BY:

03 04

01 02

05

01 dRMM | 02 Kingspan Timber Solutions | 03 Mawsonkerr Architects | 04 Nottingham University | 05 Studio 4

STMAG | www.structuraltimbermagazine.co.uk | 33

STRUCTURAL TIMBER AWARDS 2017 SHORTLIST COMMERCIAL

SPONSORED BY:

03 04

01 02

05

01 Glulam Solutions | 02 Heyne Tillett Steel | 03 Organic Architects | 04 SIPS UK | 05 Sprunt Architects

RETAIL & LEISURE

SPONSORED BY:

03 04

01 02

05

01 ABIR Architects | 02 David Morley Architects | 03 dRMM | 04 SIPCO | 05 Waind Gohil + Potter Architects

LOW ENERGY

SPONSORED BY:

03 04

01 02 01 B & K Structures | 02 Berman Guedes Stretton Architects | 03 Innovare Systems | 04 Net Zero Buildings | 05 RG+P

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05

STRUCTURAL TIMBER AWARDS 2017 SHORTLIST PIONEER

SPONSORED BY:

03 04

01 02

05

01 Bauman Lyons Architects | 02 Knoydart Construction | 03 Hewitt Studios | 04 Ramboll | 05 Stewart Milne Timber Systems

INSTALLER

SPONSORED BY:

03 04

01 02

05

01 B & K Structures | 02 G-Frame | 03 Mint Construction | 04 Smiths Carpentry | 05 WIEHAG GmbH

PROJECT OR CONSTRUCTION MANAGER

SPONSORED BY:

03 04

01 02

05

01 Dominic Hampton - Crest Nicholson | 02 Constructional Timber & KD Properties | 03 Matt Lakin - Interserve | 04 Provelio | 05 Ridge & Partners

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STRUCTURAL TIMBER AWARDS 2017 SHORTLIST ENGINEER

SPONSORED BY:

03 04

01 02

05

01 Arup | 02 Arup | 03 Booth King Partnership | 04 Super Structures Associates | 05 Webb Yates Engineers

CLIENT

SPONSORED BY:

03 04

01 02

05

01 Barratt Homes | 02 Maggie's Centres | 03 emh group | 04 Lewisham Council | 06 The Weald and Downland Living Museum

ARCHITECT

SPONSORED BY:

04 01 02

05

03

07

09

08

10

06

01 ABIR Architects | 02 Adam Knibb Architects | 03 Austin Design Works | 04 Cartwright Pickard Architects | 05 Dow Jones Architects | 06 dRMM | 07 Hewitt Studios | 08 Mawsonkerr Architects 09 Spheron Architects | 10 Waugh Thistleton Architects

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STRUCTURAL TIMBER AWARDS 2017 SHORTLIST CONTRACTOR

SPONSORED BY:

03 04

01 02

05

01 F Parkinson | 02 Mace | 03 The Goldsmith Group | 04 Thomas Armstrong | 05 Willmott Dixon Construction

PRODUCT INNOVATION

SPONSORED BY:

02 03

01

09 10

05 06

04

07 08

01 Actis Insulation | 02 DuPont Protection Solutions | 03 Greencore Construction | 04 James Hardie | 05 Joyner Bolt | 06 Korlam | 07 Knauf Insulation | 08 Recticel Insulation | 09 SAM 10 Smartroof

PROJECT

SPONSORED BY:

04 01 02

05

03

07

09

08

10

06

01 ABIR Architects | 02 Arup | 03 Ayre Chamberlain Gaunt | 04 Cartwright Pickard Architects | 05 Dow Jones Architects | 06 dRMM | 07 KLH UK | 08 Ramboll | 09 SIPCO | 10 WIEHAG GmbH

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SUSTAINABLE TIMBER

Energy Efficiency from Forestry

Södra timber is traceable right back the individual forest owners with the vast majority certified to either FSC or PEFC standards.

As sponsor of the Low Energy Project of the Year category at the structural timber awards, Södra Wood UK is a perfect fit – because if any organisation knows about sustainable timber – Södra does.

Thinking long-term comes naturally to Södra – trees can take 80 years to reach maturity. This means they can make longterm investments in their relationships with suppliers, constantly reinvesting to create better value. “One of the reasons we exist is to look after our forest owners,” says Jeremy. “There are no shareholders or demands to satisfy the city, so we can focus on what’s right for our small farmers. We use a sustainable model that helps us build a better future for everyone involved. As a demonstration of this, by 2050 the annual rate of forest growth on estates owned by our members will be 20% higher than it was in 2015.”

01 Founded in 1938, the Södra Group is Sweden’s largest forest-owner association.

Its 50,000 members own just over half of all privately owned forests in southern Sweden. From these, Södra produces a vast range of products such as sawn and planed timber goods, paper pulp and biofuel. In the UK, the company is one of the largest providers of structural timber and engineered wood products.

Södra Wood UK’s credentials for sponsoring this Award are pretty strong. “We’re totally aligned with a low energy based culture,” says Sales Director Jeremy English. “This applies from the sustainable way we produce timber to the recycling of waste products and the fuel efficiency of our supply chain. For instance, we reduce our shipping miles by using ports on the UK East Coast and burn wood residue for fuel. In fact, our aim is to achieve fossilfree production by 2020 and fossil-free transportation by 2030.”

In the past, specifiers have chosen timber frame for many reasons other than energy efficiency; speed, dry construction, precision of the finished building and cost have all been major drivers. However, as energy efficiency becomes more important to clients and designers this is changing fast. The fact that timber frame buildings can incorporate very high levels of thermal insulation is now a crucial factor – in addition to the sustainability of timber itself.

“Using timber in construction is far better for the environment than alternatives such as concrete, steel and masonry, explains Jeremy. “It’s a natural, renewable, non-toxic, recyclable and biodegradable material, which also provides excellent levels of thermal insulation. When sourced from well-managed forests, with re-planting and renewal programmes like ours, timber has to be the building material of choice.”

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Södra’s strong relationship with forest owners is good news for the construction industry. It enables the company to provide seamless supply chain solutions that align with customers’ needs. Jeremy explains: “One of the most exciting recent developments is that we’re reversing the market demands through the process, ending up with a ‘shopping list’ of logs.

This enables us to supply the market with what it needs, when it needs it. This is market-led production, as opposed to a production-led market. As sponsors of the Structural Timber Low Energy Award we’re keen to encourage others to adopt a sustainable philosophy – showing that their sourcing and use of timber has focused on sustainability and minimising energy use from start to finish.

For more information visit: www.sodra.com/wooduk IMAGE: 01. Using timber in construction is far better for the environment.

PLYWOOD PAVILION

Plywood Canopy Gives London Hospital the Wow Factor James Latham recently supplied more than 40 sheets of WISA Twin Plywood which was used to create a lightweight canopy structure for an impressive freestanding workspace pavilion in Evelina Children’s Hospital, part of the St. Thomas’ Hospital campus.

01 The canopy, which was designed by leading architectural practice, CarverHaggard and fabricated by Wyliewood, provides shading, lighting, and privacy for medical staff working within the main atrium space, looking over Archbishop’s Park. The structure is a hybrid of laser-cut spruce plywood and light grey machined steel components. The canopy is created from a series of seven folding scissor trusses, draped with weighted strips of raw canvas which diffuse the bright light from the sky during the day, and provide a surface for up lighting in lower light conditions. A folded screen of interlocking plywood strips creates a subtle spatial division between the workspace and the public Café area.

The pavilion catches the light and changes in appearance from different viewing angles and at different times of day, perhaps suggesting images of deck chairs, sails, or waves in the context of the ‘Beach’ floor.

Steven Dennard, Specification Manager, Structural Products for James Latham explained: “CarverHaggard selected both WISA Birch and Spruce plywood for its structural properties and the robust appearance of the edges, which were detailed to expose the thickness of the inner spruce layers and the end result is fantastic, it’s certainly got the wow factor, plus its extremely functional as well.”

For more information on Latham’s everexpanding range of timber and woodbased panel products, or to download a copy of the company’s environmental statement visit: www.lathamtimber.co.uk

IMAGE: 01. WISA Birch and Spruce plywood provide an eye-catching and natural structure for the healthcare environment

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James Latham Sponsor: Healthcare Project of the Year Established in 1757, this year James Latham is celebrating 260 years of importing and distributing timber and woodbased panel products into the UK. Under the continuing direction of the Latham family, the business – whose current management team includes a number of ninth generation family members – has developed into an industry leader in panel products, hardwood, joineryquality softwood, performance doors, solid surface, cladding and decking and now offers probably the most comprehensive and varied product range available in the UK market. This year, it has also invested almost £15m in two state-of-the-art, purpose built sites in Bristol and Leicester, increasing capacity in both locations by 35%.

Latham’s also sponsor a number of major events, which this year have included an exhibition about the history of Plywood at the V&A museum (which runs until 12 November). 2017 also marks the 10th anniversary of Lathams partnership with The National Forest, a Corporate Social Responsibility programme involving tree planting and woodland management initiatives.

Connect with us at: Twitter: https://twitter.com/ lathamsltd Facebook: www.facebook.com/ lathamsltd Pinterest: https://uk.pinterest. com/Lathamsltd

®

TIMBER FRAME

Leading the Way in Thermal Performance

dramatically reduced whilst giving classleading speed of construction, extremely low U-values and exceptional airtightness making it ideally suited to all forms of building projects.

The fabric of a building is central to its green credentials and is increasingly becoming a significant factor in the decision making process for all housebuilders.

01

02 In practice, the energy efficiency of a building comes down to a couple of key factors. How much fuel is required to power its heating and water systems and how well the building manages to retain the heat that is generated. The better a building performs in these two areas, the less fuel its occupants will use on a daily basis and the lower its emissions will be.

For those looking to build their own house, constructing a property that meets not only today’s standards, but also those of the years to come, has significant benefits in relation to the day-to-day costs of living in

the property. A well performing property will also be a lot more attractive to prospective buyers come the time to sell.

Scotframe has embraced this approach to construction and in using the very latest techniques and materials has brought to the marketplace an innovative and unique injected PU closed panel timber frame system called Val-U-Therm PLUS® - a range of advanced, closed panel, factory insulated, high thermal performance wall, roof and floor systems, which provide a winning solution. Val-U-Therm PLUS® ensures space heating energy costs can be

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Val-U-Therm PLUS® panels are factory injected with a high-performance PU material, which fills every void, making it exceptionally thermally efficient and virtually airtight. In short, the fabric of the building and the way it is put together means homes of this type can be heated up very quickly and retain their temperature for incredibly long periods of time. This reduces their energy needs significantly. This is where our focus should lie, rather than with using renewable energy to make up for poor design and build quality. If, over time, we can shrink the amount of energy required by our entire stock of housing, generating that energy from sustainable sources then it becomes a much more viable option.

When we already have the technology to build houses that deliver excellent energy performances, prioritising this approach will deliver faster and longer lasting results than installing individual renewable energy sources that can provide a portion of a property’s energy needs. When it comes to reducing CO2 emissions, the substance of the argument resides in the substance of the building and those taking this on-board will achieve the biggest improvements.

The thermal efficiency of timber frame is huge and Val-U-Therm PLUS® ensures that properties are very comfortable and require a lot less energy to heat.

For more information visit: www.scotframe.co.uk

IMAGES: 01-02. Millbank House, Udny which benefited from Val-U-Therm PLUS pre-injected wall panels and roof cassettes with a Posi-joist panel system floor supplied

by Scotframe Timber Engineering

NHBC

Ensuring New Homes Stand the Test of Time Under its headline banner of ‘raising standards, protecting homeowners’, the NHBC plays a pivotal role in the UK housing sector. Neil Smith, NHBC Head of Research and Innovation, outlines its role in supplying guidance and information on prefabrication and offsite manufacture.

01 It is increasingly clear that boosting housing output at a time of declining availability of skills requires ever more innovation by the housebuilding industry and the greater use of modern methods of construction (MMC).

As the Farmer Review and the Housing White Paper stress, without a change to the status quo, the prospects of making real progress in tackling the UK’s housing need are severely limited.

expectation, NHBC explicitly requires a life of 60 years for the structure. This means that materials and components need to be selected and assembled carefully so that a 60 year lifespan can be achieved in reality, with the construction of the finished home having the durability and resilience to withstand the vagaries of the UK climate. In practice, homes designed for 60 years can be expected to last well beyond that time.

At NHBC we are witnessing an upsurge in interest in offsite construction, with increasing numbers of systems and components being put forward to us for assessment against the NHBC Standards.

Such reviews are essential, to be assured that homes and their component parts are designed, manufactured and constructed to consistently meet performance standards.

NHBC was established in 1936 in response to the ‘Jerry building’ that was happening as towns and cities were being rebuilt following the First World War. A rush to construct large numbers of new homes quickly was causing major problems, with significant consequences for homeowners and mortgage lenders. Our insistence on ensuring that a high standard of durability is achieved reflects the length of time that NHBC has been in existence. Our interest extends well beyond the first ten years of the NHBC Buildmark warranty.

It is an established expectation amongst homeowners, landlords, investors and mortgage companies that new homes will last a very long time. Reflecting this

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NHBC Standards Our technical manual, the NHBC Standards, provides guidance for designers and housebuilders. Covering all parts of the home, they are written as ‘performance standards’ giving the flexibility in the use of various forms of construction and facilitating new approaches and innovation.

Fundamentally NHBC requires the following five Technical Requirements to be satisfied: • Statutory requirements (compliance with Building Regulations and other statutory requirements) • Design requirement (design taking account of the location and use of the home) • Materials requirement (materials

to comply with accepted standards/ certification) • Workmanship requirement (satisfactory levels of workmanship) • Structural design requirement (structural design by competent engineers in

compliance with established codes).

We take a rigorous approach to checking that these requirements have been complied with, both in the design and specification, but also in the onsite construction and assembly. By doing so, we can be confident in providing warranty and insurance against structural defects – the assurance required by lenders and investors, and the protection needed by home and asset owners.

Traditional and Modern Methods Whilst a large proportion of the homes registered with NHBC over the past 80 years have been masonry, we have accepted many other types of construction.

In the 1970s we witnessed fast growth in the use of timber frame – the MMC of its time – and supported the industry by developing robust technical guidance, which went onto form the basis of Chapter 6.2 of the NHBC Standards, ‘External timber framed walls’.

NHBC Similarly steel frame construction was gathering momentum in the early 2000s, a form of construction that we embraced through Chapter 6.10, ‘Light steel framed walls and floors’, which was published in 2005.

Over time, we have seen a range of systems and components coming to market – some more successful than others. We have witnessed unforeseen issues with finished homes and we learn lessons from the issues we view during inspections on site and from claims for structural defects.

Data collected from our onsite inspections and claims is constantly analysed and fed back to facilitate continuous improvement and updating of NHBC Standards, which ultimately benefits homebuyers. This ‘virtuous circle’ enables NHBC to evolve housebuilding Standards to accommodate emerging issues and new methods.

The NHBC Standards are able to help normalise modern methods that are proving successful and gaining market share, by setting out clear, detailed technical guidance and benchmarks. This helps designers, constructors and our own Building Inspectors, who may not previously have encountered a particular method of construction.

We work best when we are involved at an early stage. Our technical teams will work with manufacturers and housebuilders to review their overall programme from component materials and design to onsite installation and connection, to ensure the whole building is constructed to meet NHBC Standards and is acceptable for NHBC Buildmark warranty and insurance cover.

NHBC at the Heart of MMC NHBC is currently working with many designers, housebuilders and manufacturers on a variety of systems in development and coming into use. As the leading insurance and warranty provider for new homes, with 80 years at the heart of UK house building, NHBC is committed to supporting the industry to develop new construction methods that deliver quality new homes that will perform well over many decades to come, satisfying the needs of home and asset owners, investors and mortgage lenders.

For more details of our approach to MMC, and the systems and components already accepted by NHBC, please visit: www.nhbc.co.uk/mmchub. This website also enables manufacturers to submit their products for review.

IMAGE: 01. NHBC is currently working with many designers, housebuilders and manufacturers on a variety of offsite systems

ADVERTORIAL

Non-Stop Quality Dickie & Moore Ltd is a main contractor that can offer specialised joinery services and are delighted to be included as a nominated contractor within framework agreements for several leading UK companies.

01 Dickie & Moore is a family-run business with each director having extensive experience in construction. Our handpicked, highly-skilled workforce is passionate about their work and take pride in rising to the challenges in our industry.

With over 35 joiners, Dickie & Moore are capable of resourcing almost any construction project. We have a range of capable tradesmen and are able to provide timber kit erection, dry lining and high-quality finishing services. Currently we are erecting an 85,000sq ft timber frame care home. This will be the fourth care home of a similar size that we have completed for City Building LLP since 2013.

The largest of these was constructed as part of the Athletes Village for the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.

We have recently completed a development of 28 flats at Old Castle Gate in Cathcart.

Each block was four storeys high and at Jackton View we are building detached two-storey homes. The timber frames are supplied by Oregon and the design of the

homes was a good test for their timber engineers. These homes have a very deep floorplan and a Scottish vernacular style with two dormers to each of the front and rear elevations.

We have also utilised timber frame in several extensions for Co-op Food. The use of this type of frame ensures the building is wind and watertight very quickly. We have completed two projects in 2017 for Whitbread – the most recent was a large extension to their Premier Inn, Dumfries. The timber frame offered speed of construction and better overall quality control. Use of timber frame is our first choice for our own housing projects. Timber frame offers five key advantages: • Timber is a sustainable resource • Structural timber is fast to construct • Excellent energy and carbon credentials in a Fabric First solution • Lower health and safety risks as more work is offsite • Offsite fabrication provides better overall quality control.

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02 We purchase structural frame kits from fellow Structural Timber Association (STA) members. Using STA member companies ensures we have a better understanding of their abilities. Dickie & Moore then undertake the erection process managing all aspects of this procedure.

Dickie & Moore also undertake design and build projects – the largest to date has been the new food store in Oban for Lidl completed in 2016. Other large-scale projects have been a school pavilion and a rugby club. Our ability to manage and cost value engineer effectively have made us a popular choice for clients. If you have a project that requires high-quality service then call us.

For more information visit: www.dickieandmoore.com or email: johndickie@dickieandmoore.com

IMAGES: 01-02. Dickie & Moore provide high-quality timber skills

and project delivery

INTELLIGENT TIMBER

JJI-Joists – the versatile answer Using I-Joists in place of solid timber joists for floor installations in domestic housing is now commonplace. The first choice amongst many builders is the James Jones & Sons JJI-Joist – the UK market leader with an estimated 40% market share.

work with onsite as you can nail and screw into the flange and service holes are easily cut in the web itself.

01 A combination of light weight, resistance to bending and dimensional stability has made I-Joists a firm favourite across the UK. What is less well known is the versatility of JJI-Joists in being used for much more than just floor systems. JJI-Joists are now commonly used as wall studs where the range of depths available and 9mm web make them ideal where thermal efficiency and depth of insulation are paramount. A lot of architects are turning to JJI-Joists when designing to Passivhaus standards for just these benefits.

JJI-Joists are also being increasingly used in roof structures as well with James Jones pioneering the Intelli-Roof concept over a decade ago – where cassette panels, formed using JJI-Joists and OSB sheets, are used to create a fully insulated ‘room in a roof’. As the cassettes are craned into place in sections, the process of getting a watertight roof onto a building is much, much faster than conventional construction

methods – the record, using Intelli-Roof cassettes is seven house roofs in one day onsite. Today the cassette roof principle has been widely adopted, and not just for houses. JJI-Joist based cassettes are ideal where larger spans – up to 12 metres – are required, such as in schools and leisure facilities.

JJI-Joists offer the largest range of standard sizes on the UK market and come with full FSC and PEFC-certification. For those designers and builders concerned about the carbon footprint of their project, uniquely JJI-Joist production has been independently audited to PAS 2050 standards, meaning that James Jones is able to advise the CO2E negative figure embodied in the JJIs for every project. A typical three-bedroom detached house from a mainstream builder will store around 400kg of CO2E in the floor system alone.

The high grade solid timber flanges and OSB3 web, mean that JJI-Joists are easy to

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But it’s not just the versatility and ease of use that make JJI-Joists so popular. The joists are manufactured in the UK at the James Jones’ Forres plant. The plant has recently benefitted from over £4.5 million investment, including a new high-speed finger-jointing line, resulting in greater manufacturing capacity and flexibility and the ability to meet the needs of customers more efficiently. The JJI-Joist design and engineering teams are also based in Forres and by working with the field-based technical sales team, this means that James Jones & Sons is able to offer the best resourced support in the market.

The JJI-Joists themselves are sold through a network of distributors across the UK, as well as in France and Benelux, all of whom have fully trained staff and full access to the bespoke James Jones Floormaster software which means they can give architects, engineers and builders an optimum design solution for any project. The software is also fully BIM-compatible if required for larger buildings. To help customers James Jones has produced a comprehensive technical manual which details layouts, fixing details and installation guides.

For more information visit: www.jamesjones.co.uk/ewp

IMAGE: 01. JJI-Joists are being increasingly used in roof structures such as the Intelli-Roof

SOLID WOOD

Timber Dazzles at Berkeley Green The conversion of a former nuclear research and engineering structure on the Severn Estuary has provided South Gloucestershire and Stroud College with an eye-catching engineered wood building that has been described as ‘visionary’.

01 The centre represents the first step of the College’s ambitious plans to establish a sustainable science and technology park.

The result is an exciting new hub for the sustainable industry and provides a renewable energy and engineering skills centre supported by both local enterprise funding and international technology partners. The building is designed to become an exemplar of regenerative investment and an education tool in its own right and utilises the vast existing Engineering Hall to create a dynamic and sustainable new education facility that will also generate a surplus of electricity from a 100kW solar PV façade.

Architects Hewitt Studios chose a combination of hardwood laminated veneer lumber (LVL) beams, glulam columns and cross laminated timber (CLT) floors and balconies. The application of prefabricated timber technology was, by necessity, at the highest level of technical achievement, due to significant site constraints including limited floor-to-floor height, in order to co-ordinate with existing floor levels.

This was resolved through the adoption of an innovative hybrid laminated timber structure, using CLT for the floor slabs, supported on network of LVL joists in order to keep floor depths to a minimum.

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The solid wood timber structure was supplied by Hess Timber with the LVL used made from Beech ‘BauBuche’ hardwood rather than Spruce softwood. With its much higher strength (70N/mm2 vs 48 N/mm2) this allowed for a structure with significantly smaller dimensions compared to a laminated softwood solution. This was the first use of the technology in the UK and Hess Timber is collecting performance data from the project.

Due to the fact the prefabricated assembly had to take place within an existing building, this necessitated use of smaller section sizes and/or advanced crane/ handling techniques where this was not possible (e.g. the 2.4m x 8m CLT balustrade panels). The complex existing structure meant that the existing building had to be 3D-scan surveyed and the CLT/LVL panels CNC-cut to precisely fit around the in-situ steel frame with multiple diagonal braces. By applying precision computer controlled machining technology and using plywood sheets in available sizes, waste was also reduced. The use of timber created an improved environment for users, with warm surfaces, improved acoustics and enhanced vibration characteristics with wood improving temperature stability thanks to higher thermal storage capacity.

The prefabrication of timber elements meant that onsite build time was minimised (important as the College had a limited window of construction opportunity) and limited the associated environmental disruption. It was cost-comparable with a conventional steel frame, once savings on preliminaries, secondary framing, linings and finishes were considered. It is carbonsequestering, with only PEFC/FSC certified timber from sustainably managed forests being used (along with formaldehyde-free adhesives).

SOLID WOOD

The project provides a national exemplar for the transformation of an ‘unloved’ industrial building (originally earmarked for demolition) into a vibrant, sustainable hub for the promotion of new environmental technologies, including a prefabricated hardwood LVL timber structure and ‘dazzlecamo’ prefabricated plywood cladding. The iconic pattern is based upon the dazzle camouflage of World War I battleships.

Rather than ‘daze and confuse’ here it is intended to reduce the visual mass of the lower levels of accommodation and suppress reverberation, minimising waste through use of perforated plywood in standard 1200mm sheets. It is also perforated and backed with acoustic material to suppress reverberation within the main hall.

The new £5million Engineering Centre – now known as Berkeley Green campus – opened to learners in September 2017 and offers some of the best training facilities in the country for the built environment, welding, engineering and digital technologies. The project was delivered on time, below budget and to a high-quality consistent with the client requirements, despite the considerable technical challenges associated with installation inside an existing steel structure.

02

For more information visit: www.sgscol.ac.uk/berkeleygreen www.hewittstudios.co.uk www.hess-timber.com/en/ IMAGES: 01-03. The new Berkeley Green centre was described

by Neil Carmichael, MP and Chairman of the

Education Select Committee, as: “a fabulous

achievement, it’s emblematic of... the importance to

think big and be visionary.” Courtesy Hewitt Studios/

Martin Cleveland/Paul Younger

03

PEFC: YOUR ASSURANCE OF RESPONSIBLY-SOURCED

TIMBER PEFC-certified timber and woodbased products are at the heart of the UK construction industry.

PEFC/16-01-01

• • • • •

Legal & Sustainable Supply Credible Chain of Custody Responsible Procurement Thousands of Products Available Structural, Joinery, Flooring, Cladding • Meet Client Demands.

www.pefc.co.uk PEFC - Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification

SOLID WOOD

Schooling in Kielsteg What can deliver clear span of 27m, cantilever up to 10m, lower the height and weight of a large building structure and provide a flat soffit timber finish that is visually stunning?

01 Kielsteg is the most recent advanced engineered timber innovation that will generate mainstream appeal in the specification and engineering community. It intelligently fills a space that is not optimally serviced by other spanning elements or roofing systems and combines well with timber and non-timber structural supporting framing solutions.

Viewed technically, an engineer will understand, Kielsteg uses I-beam engineering principles, upon which the ETA is based. But it goes one important step further from a commercial perspective – it uses commodity timber products to form the sophisticated cassette element that is Kielsteg. By incorporating finger-jointed C24 structural timber in the flange material and either OSB3 or exterior grade plywood in the web, the product will be able to maintain stable manufacturing costs in line with commodity timber trading patterns and deliver awesome lightweight clear span capability.

All new product introductions are challenged with the same question from architect, engineer or prospective client – where can I see a local project? Since winning the TTJ Award for ‘Achievement in Engineered Timber’ in September 2016, a school project has already been secured and delivered using the compatibility of cross laminated timber (CLT) in the walls and Kielsteg in the roof.

Norman Taylor of Avocet Consult who are managing the project said: “Hampton Vale Primary School is an unusually complex project, where the new building is sited inside an enclosed school quadrant presenting a major logistic challenge in terms of access - the new 14m by 10m nursery would need to be constructed quickly within the school holiday window and without disruption to the other school buildings. Our contractors, Goodwood CLT were able to install the full superstructure in two days with only 18 lifts over the existing school roof with the crane offsite ready for the school term to begin in September.

It delivered a fast, clean, non-disruptive

build solution, which could not have been achieved with masonry which was the original plan. We are looking forward to handing over what will be a unique and impressive project.”

Pete McCrone, Managing Director of Goodwood CLT who has delivered a number of CLT projects added: “This was the first time we have installed Kielsteg and this is a great combination for projects like this – this is the way to go for quick-build large spans – a project of this size, walls in roof on, could in reality be installed in a day.”

James Sweet representing Korlam and MBM Forest Products said: “CLT and Kielsteg is a perfect combination for buildings in the education sector delivering a rapid build large span solution that provides an enhanced and natural learning environment.”

The final and most important statement came from Anne Neary Headteacher of Hampton Vale Primary School: “When we were at the design stage of this project, one of our driving principles was to surround our children with an environment that reflected our values: we wanted our building to be sustainable, respectful, open as well as being light, bright, natural and calm. We are at the time of writing half way through the project, with the timber walls up and a roof on and just standing in the shell and watching the light come through the skylight it is clear the building will do just what we planned. The cost effective, sustainable, non-traditional build model is one that has met our need.”

Kielsteg is presented by Korlam Belgium who have appointed MBM Forest Products as the UK Region representative. For more information email: uk@korlam.co.uk or visit: www.buildinx.co.uk IMAGE: 01. Kielsteg has added a new dimension to advanced engineered timber systems

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SIPS

Thinking Outside the Box – SIPS and Future Housing With approximately 100,000 to 160,000 too few homes being built and current predictions showing things may get worse in the next decade, SIPs is a key timber technology which could help reshape the future of housebuilding in the UK, according to JML Contracts.

also needs to be a greater receptiveness from mortgage providers to make it less daunting and difficult to finance a custom or self-build. This would encourage greater uptake and more innovation.”

01 In the UK we face a housing crisis. Lack of supply pushes up demand and prices and we are now witnessing almost complete exclusion of some demographics in the house ownership market. As well as lack of supply, there is also a rising concern over the quality of newly built properties coming to the market. A recent survey by National Custom & Self Build Association (NaCSBA) and RIBA found that 74% of respondents would not be happy to buy a house built in the last decade. Volume builders largely only want to meet current regulations and maximise returns and this is impacting quality significantly.

We are a country with a strong heritage in innovation and across many sectors this continues unabated. The housing industry, however, has failed to keep up with this innovation. There is not enough creativity or entrepreneurialism from housebuilders or developers, or certainly not on a level that can make an impact at this point.

“SIPS could help to reshape the future of housebuilding in the UK, but the country still lags behind in its uptake” says John Langley at JML Contracts. “The slow adoption of SIPS is largely down to the higher upfront costs. However, the long term benefits for residents, landlords and the environment significantly outweigh these initial outlays. These benefits include low energy usage due to the excellent insulation, limited thermal bridging and inherently air-tight characteristics.

“Future growth in the custom-build market is likely to be underpinned in part by Government aims to drive forward change in the self and custom-build sector. The Self-build and Custom Housebuilding Act, March 2015, now requires local planning authorities to establish local registers of custom-builders who wish to acquire suitable land to build their own homes and also provide the suitable support with planning functions. In addition to this, there

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Currently, the residential SIPS industry is largely driven by the self-build and customdesign market. It is estimated that in 2016 there were 12,000 self-build homes constructed. This is between 7 and 10% of the total number of homes built in the same year. The measured value of the self and custom-build markets together is expected to increase by 70% to approximately £5.2 billion by 2020.

Areas of significant interest for JML from a SIPS perspective are in social and RSL housing; private rented sector (PRS) housing; local authority housing association builds; education; low energy commercial buildings and the retrofitting of current housing stock. These particular types of building would benefit hugely from the offsite manufacturing process with minimal site erection time, exceptional thermal performance and U-values (near passive standard), significantly reduced heating and energy bills, increased habitable roof space, excellent sound proofing, structural strength and an airtight and draught free construction.

For more information visit: www.jmlcontracts.co.uk/sip-housing/

SIPS The Round House – Pitairlie JML Contracts was approached to support a roundhouse and bothy self-build project overlooking the farmlands of Angus, Scotland, next to existing traditional farm steadings. When the house was first engineered the main feature of the project – a vaulted conical roundhouse roof – was unachievable. The initial engineered design had been for a large and complex steel structure, consisting of a curved steel ring beam with large steel beams connected and fixed to the floor via posts to take the weight of the proposed slated roof.

JML Contracts re-engineered the whole house structure and bothy as a SIPS design. By doing so the requirements for steel were removed. With such a complex design, accuracy and good attention to detail were essential to ensure every joint was airtight and sealed. Having engineered and built many complex SIPS structures in the past five years, this particular project allowed JML to demonstrate just what can be achieved both structurally and aesthetically when building with the SIPS system and using specialist engineering knowledge.

Although cleverly disguised as a traditional farm building, the cutting-edge IMAGES: engineering is fully appreciated in the ‘cathedralesque’ roundhouse with 01-03. Low pressure, double vacuum preservative amazing views.

It has produced a truly unique and architecturally

treatmentspanoramic were first introduced

by Lonza in the

1960s as a new and innovative choice for the stunning room within a budget that

protection of construction and joinery timbers could not otherwise have been achieved

against decay andSIPS. insect attack. without using This project has been shortlisted for the Structural Timber Awards 2017 Best Custom and Self Build category and has won the Best SIPs Home category at the 2017 Build It Awards.

02

03 IMAGES: 01-03. SIPS helped create a stunning home in Scotland

and removed the need for steel trusses

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STA - TIMBER TRENDS

Structural Timber – Providing the Capacity and the Solutions According to the Structural Timber Association (STA), there has never been more enthusiasm for offsite manufacture and it is reminding government that the structural timber sector is ready and waiting to help resolve the shortfall in the housing stock.

The capacity report was prepared for an All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for the Timber Industries meeting and because time was relatively short, data was collected from the 11 largest STA members, who in volume terms represent 44% of the total membership.

01 The well-documented housing shortage in the UK has seen a wide range of politicians of all affiliations promise to address the issue, whether by pledging support for lending schemes or for the construction of hundreds of thousands of new homes.

This is all excellent news for the timber construction sector and is being seized upon by the STA, which has lobbied successive governments long and hard over the advantages of building with timber.

The STA now has hard evidence to back up its words and has prepared the capacity report ‘Addressing the UK Housing Shortage Using Structural Timber Solutions’ which will be launched at Timber Expo on 10 October.

The report starts by setting some context, stating that in 2015 the housebuilding sector had an estimated £24 billion of economic output, of which timber frame

manufacturers/housebuilders contributed £6.6 billion, or 27.4% of the total.

Structural timber contributes circa 5% of all construction GDP and is a key contributor to the 750,000 employed in the entire construction supply chain.

“The rationale behind the capacity report is to say to government that if you want to build more homes quickly, then look no further than the structural timber industry,” says STA Chief Executive, Andrew Carpenter.

“There is no need to go to China. We have more than 400 members and if you look at a map of the UK there is one in virtually every constituency.” Perhaps referring to the late 2016 news that the China National Building Material Company was part of a joint venture to build six offsite factories around the UK.

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“What we were able to ascertain was that if we were given the commitment from the government and the guarantee of a pipeline, we could treble the number of timber frame homes we manufacture by 2020,” says Andrew Carpenter. Current capacity is typically run on a single day shift only, making increases in output by multishifting relatively easy to do. Assuming full year outputs the sector can deliver around 150,000 units in 2020/2021, up from around 80,000 in 2017/2018 “I’ve never known such unified agreement that offsite construction is the solution to the UK housing crisis. There is acceptance at pretty much every government level, national, regional and local, that offsite is what is needed. If we are going to invest in new factories and more people then when the next downturn comes – as it will do at some stage and the private developers pull their horns in, we need the commitment on council houses, affordable homes and housing associations. They need to give us the confidence to invest.”

STA - TIMBER TRENDS

02 The STA’s last Timber Trends Report released earlier this year, forecast continued growth within the sector towards 2018 and beyond, as companies are taking advantage of market opportunities. Total housing starts are predicted to tip over 200,000 by 2018, with shortages in traditional skills and construction materials, encouraging the larger builders to look again at timber frame.

As with all sectors, Brexit holds some amount of uncertainty, however timber is a global and innovative industry, which will grasp the opportunities and overcome any potential hurdles.

The sector has developed advantages unsurpassed by any other – the environmental credentials of wood are ones that cannot be matched by any other building material. Structural timber solutions outweigh other sectors in regard to volume of materials – here the sector is quick to

respond and can add capacity at a relatively rapid rate to meet demand. Shortages in other traditional construction materials will continue to encourage larger builders and specifiers to look to alternatives, such as timber frame, structural insulated panel (SIPS) systems or cross laminated timber (CLT).

“There is a lot of confidence in the industry and if we are to continue to thrive, the sector must continue to innovate to keep ahead of the curve,” adds Alex Goodfellow - STA Chairman and Managing Director of Stewart Milne Timber Systems. “We have seen momentum grow over the last three to five years and the timber sector is well placed to continue to capitalise on the current and forecast growth. We should be celebrating the remarkable performance achieved over the last year, in continuing to grow the UK market share for timber frame technology.

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The market is showing higher levels of optimism amongst the structural timber solution providers, with more positive signs of investment and an increase in activity levels. The time is right for the construction industry to embrace innovative timber technology and offsite techniques to develop better buildings at a rapid rate, to overcome the shortfall in housing stock and produce energy efficient buildings, which is particularly important for the social/ affordable housing sectors.”

For more information visit: www.structuraltimber.co.uk

IMAGES: 01. The quality and level of housing required in the UK is huge. Courtesy Scotframe 02. Factory precision and reliability is key to timber systems. Courtesy Stewart Milne Timber Systems

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ROOFING

Making a Posi-tive Change Jonathan Fellingham, Managing Director of Donaldson Timber Engineering (DTE), discusses how small design changes have had a big impact on a small development in Fife.

01 We recently worked with Chris Brown Joinery and our sister company, MGM Timber, to supply trusses and open web joists for a private housing development in Charlottetown, Fife. The small, residential self-build comprises three private houses, and we supplied products for the second home to be developed. The customer required roof trusses, gable ladders, Kerto ridge beams, infill rafters, ironmongery and bracing to complete the roof system.

The customer originally approached MGM because of the Glenrothes branch’s proximity to the build site. The roof system had already been designed by the structural engineer, so MGM commissioned our Buckhaven branch to work with the team to supply a complete roofing system.

The design presented some challenges,

including the large span of the roof trusses.

The customer wanted to utilise as much of the first floor space as possible, but the space from the first floor panels to the internal ceiling was high, so a clear span truss from wall head to wall head was not possible.

Using the original technical design, the truss team provided solutions to allow the customer to utilise the space required, while also ensuring the project remained on-time and on-budget. We provided a raised tie design that allowed the customer to use the floor space from wall to wall.

And in order to maximise ceiling height, we also split the trusses in half and designed a box girder to align down the middle of the roof, with mono-raised tie trusses sitting on either side. The team also suggested

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using Posi-joists for the project, rather than more traditional I-joists as the customer had first requested. Posi-joists are a more cost-effective option when spans are longer than five metres, and they have the added benefit of allowing for easier installation of additional services and flexibility in future building modifications.

James Robertson, I-joist design technician at Buckhaven, explains: “Because Posijoists are so easy to install, they reduce time, and eliminate costly cutting and drilling when installing services. Our Posijoists are also supplied along with all of the additional materials, including metal connectors, temporary bracing, chipboard decking and any additional timbers, which again saves the customer time and money by offering a complete package.

ROOFING We suggested that Posi-joists would be more appropriate and the customer was happy to take our advice on board. We designed the joists in Buckhaven and they were supplied by our Cramlington branch.”

Speaking about the project Chris Brown, of Chris Brown Joinery said: “I’m a joiner by trade and my company is relatively new to property development. I approached MGM Timber to supply products for the second of three houses we are building on a small site. When they came back with proposals on what they and DTE could do for me, they provided some great solutions for the space issues we were considering. I was also really impressed with the benefits of the Posi-joists that were recommended, and they were definitely the right choice for this project.”

02

For more information visit: www.donaldsontimberengineering.co.uk

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MODERN MATERIALS

A Unique Single-Point Solution to a Multitude of Challenges A simplistic design and high performance has seen fermacell specified by many of Europe’s leading architects and construction companies for over 40 years.

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01 fermacell Gypsum Fibreboard is a high performance building board produced using recycled gypsum, recycled cellulose fibres from waste paper and recycled water.

The end result is a finished partition that combines the properties associated with solid masonry with the flexibility of dry wall, in a construction that is often thinner, quicker and cheaper to install than both.

A Load Off Your Mind With a load-carrying capacity of up to 50kg per cavity fixing and 30kg per screw, fermacell gives greater flexibility as many items can be fixed directly to the boards rather than the sub-structure.

Hear the Difference fermacell offers greater acoustic performance with fewer layers, enabling slimmer partitions and simply party wall construction. A single layer fixed to a timber stud achieves Rw44dB of sound insulation and a single layer fixed to a metal stud achieves Rw52dB. Make Moisture Less of a Problem As a moisture-resistant board, fermacell is suitable for use in relative humidity of up to 80%, using fermacell means you will have fewer problems with moisture and reduces the need for additional protection during transportation.

Easy Construction Although it outperforms other boards in so many ways, fermacell is really simple to use. And as it provides a ready-to-decorate finish, with no wet trades needed, it helps reduce time and cost both on and offsite.

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The biggest advantage of all? fermacell produces the largest Gypsum Fibreboard in the world. Our largest board size is 6 m x 2.54 m, reducing the need for jointing and reducing waste, which is also used to make acoustic flooring and robust ceiling solutions. So with one product offering all these benefits, specifying, logistics and installation are much easier.

It is tried, tested and proven in hundreds of education, public, residential and commercial buildings.

For more information visit: www.fermacell.co.uk IMAGES: 01-02. fermacell produce the world’s largest Gypsum Fibreboard

INSULATION

The Great British Build-Off: mitigating supply pressures Steve Smith, Marketing Manager at Knauf Insulation discusses how the industry can safeguard itself against product shortages, despite the current political uncertainty.

The UK’s construction industry has been battling product shortages for years. And, amid political uncertainty, our reliance on imports could exacerbate the situation.

In 2014, the entire industry was hit by its most notable material shortage – a severe lack of bricks, which saw prices increase by more than 30% in some instances. On top of rising costs, projects reported waiting for up to four months for a delivery of bricks to arrive on site. Combined, these had a direct impact on the entire construction supply chain.

Since then, the issue has continued to raise its head. For example, when the impressive thermal performance of aircrete concrete blocks became widely known, demand for the product soared. But manufacturers couldn’t fulfil the volume of orders as the supply of the building blocks’ main component – pulverised fuel ash (PFA), a by-product of coal-powered plants – failed to keep pace.

More recently, the industry-wide shortage of polyisocyanurate (PIR) insulation led to a steep surge in price for the material, leaving contractors in limbo as they tried to find alternative products. These examples are only some of the many that are constraining the industry. The Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors UK Construction and Infrastructure Market Survey for Q1 this year found that more firms are worried about a lack of materials in 2017 than they were in 2016.

At a time when elections are shifting markets and halting business decisionmaking, preparing for future shortages is a key challenge for manufacturers. Like many other sectors in the UK, there’s a growing uncertainty among manufacturers and the wider construction industry surrounding future trade agreements between the UK and the European Union. And with a long way to go before any decisions are finalised, the industry needs to have a plan in place to avoid a steeper fall in product supply.

Particularly as, according to the Office for National Statistics’ figures for March 2017, the construction industry imports 62% of all building materials from the EU.

Supply Security As an example, to ensure supply of our core raw material, glass cullet, we recently partnered with resource management company, Veolia, to support the construction of a state-of-the-art glass cullet processing facility. The site – which will be built by the end of 2017 next to our manufacturing plant in St Helens – will recycle tens of thousands of tonnes of glass that will be used to manufacture energy saving products. Crucially, the facility provides us with breathing space, protecting our operations and our customers from shortages as we manage our own raw material production.

Material Shortages & Industry Growth Despite this political uncertainty, demand for infrastructure and new housing has continued to grow. In the Construction Product Association’s (CPA) most recent figures found that the sector has remained incredibly resilient. In spite of initial postBrexit fears, the CPA has forecast that construction output is expected to rise each year between 2017 and 2019, from 1.3% to 2.3%. This is due to the number of high-profile infrastructure projects in the pipeline, valued at £300 billion over the next four years alone and the ongoing demand for housing. With such promising figures, it’s vital that the industry has the materials available to continue its predicted growth trajectory. But to do so, we need to be investing in homegrown manufacturing to reduce our overreliance on imports.

During the ongoing PIR insulation shortage, we’re also working closely with customers to help them find a mineral wool alternative when PIR is unavailable. As an industry, we should be working together to make sure that low material supply doesn’t impact efficiency. Doing as much as we can to avoid low supply should be on all of our agendas. By putting a greater emphasis on securing our own supply and providing suitable alternatives, we can make sure that the industry can deliver the impressive targets it has in place.

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For more information visit: www.knaufinsulation.co.uk

INSULATION

System of Simplicity Actis Hybrid products are becoming increasingly popular with offsite manufacturers – for their simplicity and speed of installation, cleanliness, cost-effectiveness, ease of storage and lightweight nature – as well as their ability to address thermal bridging.

While Hybris has been designed to be used as part of an overall three in one Hybrid system with sister products insulating breather membrane BoostR Hybrid and insulating vapour control layer HControl Hybrid, it can also be used alongside other membranes. And for the purposes of the trial Timber Innovations stuck with the original, single layer membrane specifications.

As with many other Actis Hybrid users, Timber Innovations found Hybris’ ease of use one of its key benefits. “We like the prospect of its simplicity to store and to cut to size, the avoidance of dust and crumbly waste during handling, less weight in the finished panels, and potential for reduced manufacture cost overall,” added Ian.

01 Birmingham-based Timber Innovations is one of the latest organisations to try out the new Hybris insulation panels – as part of a trial to compare their installation and performance with that of traditional PIR board. The installation process has also provided a handy how to installation guide for other timber framers considering including the product in their own insulation portfolios.

The trial saw 125mm thick Hybris panels delivered to their Birmingham factory and installed in the walls of what will become a 130sq m self-build home. The original project specification was for a conventional timber frame solution using PIR insulation.

But Timber Innovations called in an SIG360 technical team to see what it suggested instead of the traditional approach.

“This job was already ‘in the system’ as a conventional timber frame solution and therefore had been priced and negotiated with the client as PIR insulation,” says Ian McCarthy, Timber Innovations’ Business Development Manager. “We had SIG360 technical data for the PIR and with the new Hybris thermal information we were able to roll out sufficient comparative data to keep the client satisfied. The client also needed assurance that the performance was equal to or better than the negotiated specification and that he would not be at risk from any consideration of fire, structural, thermal, durability or appearance issues. Hybris is the nearest equivalent to PIR in a form suitable for timber framing – and therefore the easiest to demonstrate to clients as a substitute solution for similar performance.”

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While the superstructure has been installed at the home’s plot in Doncaster, the project is still awaiting the attentions of various other trades before Timber Innovations can comprehensively assess the efficacy of using Hybris. But if the results perform as anticipated and if it offers a commercially more effective way of achieving an excellent thermal result then other clients will be given the option of using Hybris in the future.

“There is scope for us to amend our timber frame solutions, to incorporate Hybris instead of PIR materials. If it is commercially better to use Hybris in lieu of PIR, and if it makes sense in the factory environment then we can easily increase the proportion of timber frame projects that are converted to Hybris – subject to always securing client acceptance of the change. We will find other self-build schemes that can be converted from PIR to Hybris and will continue to look for commercial project opportunities likewise,” IMAGES: 01. Hybris is cut 5-10mm wider than the gap it is to fill using either an ordinary or mechanical saw 02. The wall panels are quick to fill

02 Timber frame manufacturers will still construct a panel the conventional way: the 140mm frame is created on tables with oriented strand board (OSB) fitted to the upper face followed by external breather paper and tracer tapes to locate studs. Timber Innovations has specialist kit to flip the panel so its upper face becomes the inside surface, into which the 125mm Hybris is installed between studs and fixed hard up against the OSB layer, starting at the panel head and infilling each void to panel base.

The whole inner surface is then covered with reflective vapourcontrol layer plus 25mm service-void battens, before being stacked for despatch. The frame is then installed onsite, at which point plasterboard is added and the blockwork is laid around the timber structure leaving a 50mm air cavity.

Actis UK and Ireland Commercial Director Mark Cooper added: “Timber frame homes have a typically far shorter construction period than their brick and block equivalents. Creating the panels and associated services offsite is far quicker, while the onsite component requires around 20% fewer labour days than a traditional build. The added benefit is that all necessary onsite trades then represent a smaller percentage of the overall build time, freeing up more skilled man hours which can be spent on building the next property. Many builders report time savings of 25 to 50%.

The Actis Hybrid system, which consists of insulation, vapour control layer and breather membrane, can be installed effectively with ease by someone who has had minimal training which can even be delivered via an online tutorial in a factory environment, which equates to better productivity and reduced waste.�

For more information visit: www.insulation-actis.com

TIMBER PROTECTION

VAC-VAC is Back Lonza Wood Protection has launched a new promotional push to highlight the importance of correct preservative treatment of construction and joinery timbers as the building of new homes becomes a priority.

Andy Hodge, Marketing Director of Lonza explains: “Over the last few years a lot of work has been done by the timber treatment industry to make sure the protection levels of preservative treated fencing and landscaping timbers are where they should be to perform in the most extreme of environments – outdoors and often in direct ground contact. But equally important in making sure that timber remains a valued and important construction material choice is reminding important decision makers in the housing

industry that internal construction timber also need protecting to last an expected 30 or 60 years when used in a new building.

“Over the last few years our proven low pressure, double vacuum treatments which are tailored to suit close tolerance building and joinery timbers seem to have been neglected, which is really concerning bearing in mind that changes in our climate bring new threats from decay organisms which can attack and degrade these structural components. For our sector

Wood Weathering The SiOO Wood Protection System offers a different dimension to combating the unsightly discolouration of timber in exposed conditions.

Although wood is an incredibly versatile and beautiful material it does suffer from some problems. Wood in exposed conditions will weather to give a silvery grey driftwood appearance. However, when wood is sheltered (such as under overhanging eaves) then the wood will retain its original colouration. This leads to a very unsightly appearance with uneven weathering.

Wood is composed of three structural polymers: cellulose, hemicelluloses and lignin. Where wood weathering is concerned, it is the lignin that is the Achilles Heel, because it strongly absorbs ultraviolet light which causes the breaking of chemical bonds and leads to fragmentation of the lignin polymer. These lignin fragments are then washed out by rain, where they

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in particular, the likely spread of insects such as the house longhorn beetle and the potential migration of termites into southern England should be reflected in standards being set for housebuilding now.

The preservative pre-treatment of structural timbers with insecticides in higher risk locations should, in theory, become more widespread. Timber frame and truss material, general construction timbers and joinery components remain the key prime treatment elements.

“We have introduced the ‘VAC-VAC is BACK’ campaign to help raise the importance and relevance of cost-effective low pressure treatments to the construction industry available from timber and joinery companies throughout the UK.” For more information visit: www.lonzawoodprotection.com/eu

become food for staining micro-organisms, leading to the familiar grey appearance.

Because the lignin is no longer present, the cell walls at the surface become loose and can be washed away in the rain. Although this is not a problem with uncoated wood, it most certainly is an issue for clear coated wood because the coating no longer adheres to the wood surface, meaning regular and expensive maintenance.

The SiOO Wood Protection System is different – it is not a coating, but an envelope. The protection system has two components – the first penetrates the wood where it gradually forms an inert glassy polymer and the second component acts to seal and protect the first application until it is fully cured, but it also forms an inert water-resistant envelope which penetrates the wood and creates an even grey surface appearance.

For more information visit: www.sioo.co.uk

BUILDING BOARDS

Getting the Specification Right Even where specialist advice is available, a working knowledge of building regulations and performance is crucial to making the right design and specification decisions for structural strength and stability.

01 Now the UK is experiencing more extreme weather events and with the implementation of more stringent building regulations on the horizon – specifying the right building board system for structural timber applications is vital. A significant consideration when assessing building boards is to ensure the optimum racking performance to enhance structural strength.

The load bearing capacity of wooden shear walls loaded by wind and seismic forces can be evaluated using different testing procedures.

European Norm – BS EN 594:2011 is the recognised testing protocol for testing racking strength and stiffness of timber frame wall panels. Building boards and cladding systems with BS EN 594:2011 certification have been rigorously tested and offer good racking, performance, structural strength and stability.

Another factor to consider for stability is moisture movement. When evaluating a solution, consider a system that offers a high level of dimensional stability with limited moisture movement. Building boards can be specified with as little as 0.06% moisture movement.

Resistance to Moisture and Durability By specifying a building board that is fully tested to BS EN 1062-1, it ensures the boards have adequate moisture resistance and durability and will have a life equal to that of the building.

Selecting a building board with good external performance and durability is important, particularly through the build phase, as the product may be left exposed for several months prior to a secondary facade being installed over the top of the system.

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Certification to BS EN 12467:2012 offers confidence of the building board’s durability requirement and that it can withstand the exposure cycle of freeze and thaw, heat and rain. Testing to BS EN 12467:2012 is recommended.

Behaviour in Relation to Fire The Building Regulations for England and Wales set out the legal obligations for building designers. These functional requirements outline what must be done, but do not address how to achieve this.

An example of a functional requirement that covers structural stability in a fire is that: ‘the building shall be designed and constructed so that, in the event of a fire, its stability will be maintained for a reasonable period.’

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BUILDING BOARDS specifically for timber frame buildings in excess of 600m2 total floor areas.

It is recommended that timber frame design teams provide confirmation, as part of their CDM Regulation duties, that the appropriate assembly in the design submission complies with the category of timber frame required in the procurement documents, and that this is carried through to production drawings. Product Paper 4 provides a ‘proforma’ for self-certification on the assembly selection process and shows a diagrammatic flow chart of the steps in the process - from concept to the project starting on site. Section 4 - Wall Assemblies – makes recommendations when specifying buildings boards.

02 Robust timber structures perform well in relation to fire by slowly forming a char layer and in the case of cross laminated timber (CLT), can remain structurally stable for up to 90 minutes. However, slender timber is generally protected by fire-rated boards and great care needs to be taken on the detailing of this.

Recognised certified products generally make technical information readily available.

Provided by the supplier and frequently available on websites, the material safety data sheet for building boards and external cladding systems, is a good starting point.

Fire Rating A1 and A2 - refers to reaction-to-fire classifications for contribution to fire growth in accordance with – BS EN 13501-1. A1 utilises BS EN ISO 1182 and BS EN ISO 1716 tests

and is typically non-combustible rating referenced as ‘Non-Combustible’.

A2 utilises BS EN ISO 1716 and BS EN 13823 testing and is referenced to typically as ‘Limited Combustible.’

BS EN ISO 1716:2010 and BS EN ISO 1182:2010 are the most relevant, together with BS EN 476-21 and BS EN 476-22 and BS EN 1365-1:2012 for non-loadbearing and loadbearing fire rated wall applications. Check the material safety data sheet to ensure the product is compliant.

Site Safe Compliant – Product Paper 4 Produced by the Structural Timber Association (STA), Site Safe Compliant – Product Paper 4 is a design guide to separating distances during construction – compiled and researched by the STA

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CE Marking & BBA Approval A European Certification, CE Marking is a manufacturer's declaration that the product meets the requirements of the applicable EC directives in terms of safety, health and environmental requirements. CE Marked buildings boards appear under the harmonised standard of BS EN 12467:2012 – demonstrating that the manufacturer has checked that these products meet EU safety, health and environmental requirements is a key indicator of a products compliance with EU legislations and allows the free movement of products within the European market.

And finally BBA Approval – which offers full technical approval for construction products, systems and is recognised by building control, government departments, architects, local authorities, specifiers and building insurers. BBA Approval provides reassurance to architects, designers and contractors when specifying or installing building board products.

For more information visit: www.structuraltimber.co.uk/library IMAGES: 01. Specifying the right building board system for structural timber applications is vital. Courtesy Scotframe 02. Process understanding of where the Product Paper 4 fits into selection of category of timber frame

BUILDING BOARDS

Magply Performs Offsite timber frame systems are evolving with an increasing market share in the construction industry with speed of build becoming a major factor along with fire risk and weather-damaged products during the construction phase.

The site manager on the Basildon project confirmed Magply's accreditations confirming the boards’ ability and performance capabilities saying: “We have been very pleased with the quality of the timber frame units provided, while the Magply has also proved its worth. We had a very heavy downpour soon after erection work began and if the wall had been lined with conventional plasterboard they would likely have sagged – ending up on the floor.”

As a high performance, multi-functional board, Magply features a formulation that provides a fire-safe and environmentally friendly alternative to conventional plywood or OSB products. Additionally, the unique production process ensures chloride content at a negligible level of around 0.03%, ensuring Magply remains dry and non-corrosive whilst enhancing both stability and long-term durability.

01 One supplier addresses all three factors, using Magply boards as an internal lining board to internal and external walls at an affordable housing development in Essex.

The project at Buckingham Green, Basildon, has seen T.T.F.C Ltd. erect a total of six new homes for Swan Housing Association.

The two two-storey and four three-storey houses have been supplied in panel form

by Wexford-based T.T.F.C Ltd. “We are steadily increasing our work across the UK and Ireland building care homes, schools and apartment blocks as well as low rise housing,” says James Mason, Director of T.T.F.C Ltd. “For this reason we are seeking to use the ultimate board product, with Basildon being one of the first projects where we have used Magply.”

“Most importantly the 12mm Magply is strong enough to withstand being transported to site and the erection process without damage, while it is also very resistant to being exposed to bad weather before the building is completed. Basically for the exterior walls we will use the Magply as an interior lining and for both sides of the internal partitions or dividing walls, instead of plasterboard.”

T.T.F.C Ltd now routinely installs 99% of the Magply boards within its Wexford factory, before they are shipped to site and assembled by fully-trained erection teams. They then use additional sheets of the strong and durable material to protect and complete interfaces, including within stairwells to flats and houses. This provides immediate continuity and fire resistance, while keeping the timber and insulation dry.

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Crucially, Magply carries internationally recognised EN Standard, UKAS-accredited certification confirming 90 minute fire integrity and insulation under test conditions and Euro class A1 non-combustibility.

Furthermore, the range offers excellent racking strength, impact or pull-out resistance and all round ease of use in a variety of applications. Magply has been tested under BS 476 Part 22 for timber frame applications and parts 6&7 (Class O) surface spread of flame together with other approvals such as EN 1364-1 and EN 1365-1 for unloaded or loaded wall applications.

For more information visit: www.magply.co.uk IMAGE: 01. Magply is strong enough to withstand being transported to site and is not effected by bad weather

THE ULTIMATE IN FIRE PROTECTION! 91 MINS FIRE INTEGRITY AND 86 MINS FIRE INSULATION MAGPLY FIRE BOARDS TESTED FOR EWT-1 SPANDREL MAGPLY ADVANCED FIRE, APPLICATION SHEATHING & LINING BOARD Magply has now been tested in an uninsulated twin stud EWT-1 spandrel As requested by the STA Board, Magply has been tested by application with only one 12mm Magply Fire board achieving 67 minutes for the fire Bunch Building Physics institute it is suitable both integrity and insulation to BS 476 partto 22.ensure Magply provides the for purpose and is not affected in any way by the relative perfect solution for lightweight, fire and weather resistant Spandrel panels. humidity the UK. Magply is thelevels perfectinchoice for:

CERTIFIED and TESTED in accordance with:

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Loaded partition wall to 67 minutes integrity and insulation.

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Insulated Timber Frame2015 Walls BSPIREN 1364-1: PIR Insulated Timber Frame Walls

BS 476

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EN 13501-1:2007+A1:2009

Class A1 Non-Combustible EN 13501-1:2007+A1:2009 Class A1 Non-Combustible

Bunch Building Physics for Institute, in Denmark, have provided Passive fire protection Render boarding a walls,floors test report confirming and ceilingsthat Magply is suitable for use in the UK for both external rain screened and internal applications without being effected by humidity or moisture.

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BS EN Structure 594 2011 Timber 2011 Timber Structure

EN ISO 12572

EN 12572 Water ISO Vapour Transmission Water Vapour Transmission

BS EN 10140-2:2010 Sound reduction index

EWT-1 SINGLE BOARD SPANDREL APPLICATION NHBC TECHNICAL ACCEPTANCE FORAT 67EXTERNAL MINUTES FIRE INSULATION TO: ORINTEGRITY INTERNALAND TIMBER FRAME

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BUILDING BOARDS

Innovation On Board We at Modelpan UK are proud to be able to offer a first class multi-purpose MgO board for use across the broad spectrum of the UK construction industry including timber frame, SIPS and other offsite methods.

Our MgO Smart Board is a true multipurpose building board that can be used as a direct replacement for OSB3, plywood, cement/tile backer board, render board and even internal linings in the case of plasterboard. No more multiple layers of interior linings to achieve building control regulations. With just a single 12mm board, you can now achieve a two hour Class A1 Non-Combustible fire rating which saves on time, material and labour costs.

Our certification includes: European Technical Assessment -16/0260 – 2016, CE- MARK 16/0260 -2016, A1 Non-Combustible as per EN- 13501-1: 2007 +A1, ASTM +++ and we are members of the Structural Timber Association (STA) and the Association for Specialist Fire Protection (ASFP).

01 Our Modelpan MgO boards are sold all over the European Union as well as across the United States, Canada, Turkey and the Middle East. All of our MgO products are fully certified to UK, European as well as ASTM International Standards.

90% of all MgO Boards sold throughout the world come from the Far East as most of the Magnesium mines are situated in China. Modelpan’s resources are based at the gateway to Europe and the Far East at a new state of the art ETA/CE certified Manufacturing Plant in Turkey.

We at Modelpan are unique in that we have control of all the key processes from mining, refining to board manufacture right through to the delivery of the final product.

There are no ‘agents or ‘resellers involved as we are the manufacturer and therefore can ensure a complete quality assurance chain from start to finish.

Modelpan products are non-toxic as they contain no organic solvents, heavy metals, asbestos, oils and can be classified as an ‘ECO Building Material’. Modelpan MgO will not support mould/fungal growth and has a high resistance to moisture absorption making Modelpan an ideal choice for wet, humid environments both inside and outside. MgO is strong, flexible, durable and impact resistant and offers excellent racking and compression strength which is why it is so popular when used in the manufacture of SIPS panels. Modelpan has been selected to supply MgO boards for an 18 house project in Skelmersdale with the offer of another 36 units next year. The MgO boards will be used as a render carrier board as well as fire protection.

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We also offer a variety of textured boards available in stone (Metropolitan), timber (Elegance) and render (Momentum) finishes – all of which can painted to achieve your desired final finish or, if using our smooth (Comfort) product, a single coat coloured silicone render system can be used in external applications or it can be painted.

Delivery of our MgO boards to the UK takes an average shipping time of 18 days, far quicker than the typical three months from Asia. Modelpan UK also hold stocks of our MgO boards in the UK for customers who require a just-in-time delivery service.

For more information visit: www.modelpan.co.uk Email: sales@modelpan.co.uk Tel: 020 3289 2631 | 0797 7707617 IMAGE: 01. A variety of textured boards are available for all types of building

Multi purpose building boards Magnesium Oxide Board Modelpan Magnesium Oxide (MgO) Building Boards offer innovative solutions to meet the ever-changing demands of the construction industry. Available in a choice of textured finishes, Modelpan is ideal for interior and exterior applications.

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FRAMECHECK

Timber – Back in the Frame As timber frame sees a surge in popularity, Lewis Taylor, Timber Frame Consultant at Exova BM TRADA, discusses the importance of build quality and construction detailing.

and housing associations to make regular inspections on sites, in order to minimise defects and ensure quality. We often work with main contractors to help them ensure a good standard of construction is achieved to help them minimise call backs and costs associated with defects. We also carry out a large portion of our work for housing associations who have a long-term vested interest in the performance and durability of the buildings and are normally responsible for ongoing maintenance and repair works.

01 The housing market is particularly buoyant at the moment. The number of new homes being built in England is at its highest level for ten years: the government is making pledges to build more houses, and the big housebuilders are reporting that volumes for this year are the highest they’ve been since the recession.

The Department of Communities and Local Government (DCLG) has reported that 162,880 homes were started in 2016/17, with 147,960 completed. This is the highest number of newbuilds since the start of the financial crisis in 2007/08 and builders are once again focused on speed of build and looking towards offsite manufacture, namely timber frame, to deliver quality homes quickly.

Private developers have historically looked to the timber frame industry to shorten time to market and provide more stable and

predictable building programmes. With the slow market conditions experienced over the past few years, fast build programmes haven’t been a priority. However, with the success of the ‘Help to Buy’ scheme, and other government driven initiatives, developers need once again to bring new sites to market quickly. By moving to timber construction, lead-times can be reduced by four weeks on an average sized house.

Plus, build programmes become predictable with timber frame, almost irrespective of weather related issues. While timber won’t eliminate all delays, it will certainly shorten time to market and ensures developers have homes for sale at the right time.

One of the things that builders must not lose sight of in the bid for speed is construction detailing and quality. At Exova BM TRADA, we have seen an increase in enquiries in recent months, and have been working closely with both big housebuilders

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Through our frameCHECKa service, we provide third party expert advice on the design and build quality of timber frame buildings, ensuring that they are constructed in accordance with specifications and best practice throughout the build process.

There are a number of key areas which require careful design and construction to ensure quality and compliance with regulations; these include: • Structural design • Differential movement around windows, cladding, roofs and services • Fire safety including installation of cavity barriers, fire stopping and fire resistant wall linings • Resistance to weather and ground moisture including drainage and ventilation of external wall cavities

• Sound insulation between dwellings • Thermal performance including airtightness • Condensation risk.

02 Builders should consider that a focus on quality throughout the build process not only leads to a better end product, but also offers a number of additional benefits in terms of time saving, reduced costs, increased performance and improved compliance.

While adding in extra checks along the way may seem prohibitive in terms of speed of build – especially when time is key - a focus on build quality can in fact further speed up the process. With an expert pair of eyes overlooking the build, corrective action can be taken immediately if there are any concerns, saving time taken returning to an area to fix it at a later date. This in turn leads to money saving, as it not only limits the additional costs involved in going back to the project to correct any issues, but it is also possible to identify efficient construction methods and order of work to reduce costs along the way.

NBT, taking the complexity and risk out of thermal performance in structural timber

Furthermore, by focusing on the construction detailing, performance and compliance can also be improved. Inspections from the outset allow us to suggest best practice details for performance, so that the finished building can be designed to exceed current regulations, while materials and building systems can be assessed against standards at every stage of the process.

Helping you specify the right solution

With speed of build back in the frame, timber is of course the most obvious and best solution for builders, but to make the build as efficient as it can be, the devil is most definitely in the detail.

To find out more about the frameCHECKa service and the range of consultancy, certification and accreditation services that Exova BM TRADA provides, visit: http://bit.ly/2wLiVD0 Exova BM TRADA is part of the Exova Group Ltd, which was recently acquired by Element Materials Technology (Element) to create one, world-class global testing services partner.

Contact NBT

IMAGES: 01-02. frameCHECKaprovides third party expert advice on the design and build quality of timber frame buildings

www.natural-building.co.uk

T 01844 338338 E info@natural-building.co.uk

TOOLS & MACHINERY

Engineering in Timber with Hundegger Hundegger has seen an unprecedented demand for its machinery in the UK market and in the last three years alone more than 40 machines have been installed with more to arrive. Both Scotframe and Lowfield Timber Frame have found the machines hugely successful in contributing to improved product and project efficiency.

The machines are installed in a number of industry sectors, from truss and timber frame companies to those organisations supplying houses to self-builders alongside installation of green oak. For the truss and timber frame industry, Hundegger will have confirmed 20 of their Turbo Drive machines in the UK by the end of the 2017. The Turbo is a five-axis saw, with stacking capacity and an expectation to cut 2000 components within an eight-hour shift. The Turbo also has a direct link to all the main nailplate supplier’s software, from which it is able to optimise the truss jobs and inkjet-mark the components to help the truss and timber frame assembly.

“Hundegger have the cutting and CNC-machining of timber components for all types of timber structures and buildings well covered,” says Chris Osborne from Hundegger UK. When you see a CAD of a timber framed house, which could have roof trusses, timber frame, I-joists, glulam and feature green oak beams and roof trusses – all in the one building – Hundegger can process all these materials on one machine, seamlessly linking to the design software. Hundegger machines process accurately dimensioned components that do not need pre-assembly before going to site, and the flexibility of what the machines can do, makes more complex jobs profitable and enables the designers a free hand to design special buildings.”

Globally, Hundegger are also at the forefront

of processing cross laminated timber (CLT) panels with its PBA machine with some of the panels up to 16 metres long and can weigh five tonnes. Chris Osborne adds: “CLT processing is booming. Many of the major suppliers around the world are adding Hundegger PBA machines to supply fully finished panels. Doors and window apertures are cut out and recesses for the metalwork connections machined to provide quick and perfect onsite assembly.”

Darren Jarman, Managing Director of Lowfield Timber Frame saw investing in expensive machine as a really big step but one that has proved worthwhile. “The initial reason for investigating the SC3 machine was due to the ever-increasing complexity of our structural glulam connections required to provide the big open internal spaces seen in many contemporary designs. Our previous method of manufacture was using hand-held Mafel tooling which, despite providing the quality we needed, was extremely labour intensive. The Hundegger has proved to be a gamechanger and certain processes have become second nature. Rafter kits, filleted purlins, holing of joists for services, feature gallows brackets and porches – all sent to the saw and CNC machined. But remember, whilst its capabilities are endless, it is only as good as the information which is sent to it. We have worked hard to create a strong design team who know the saw inside-out to utilise its potential.”

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In an industry that is ever-changing along with design preferences and consumer taste, staying ahead of the game is key to Lowfields and investing in such high-end tooling was a decision they made with relative ease. They are also noticing a significant upturn in the amount of exposed feature timbers being specified within its projects. “We had already invested in the best hand-held tooling money could buy but it was slow progress and we were still heavily reliant on master craftsmen to achieve our demanding standards,” adds Lowfields Commercial Manager, Tim Morris. “Aside from the obvious sawing operations, we now had mortice & tennon connections, dovetail joints, half-lap joints, slots or pre-cut birdsmouths. It offered all manner of CNC-machined solutions, dramatically increasing our capacity without sacrificing anything on quality. With a little re-thinking at design stage, we quickly started to appreciate the automated results and the accuracy that the SC3 brought to our business. We have even brought back cut-roofs at the request of site carpenters.”

TOOLS & MACHINERY

01 Scotframe had for some years admired the Hundegger’s automated component and joinery processing machines, so when the time came round to replacing existing machinery the only difficulty was choosing which machine from the range was the best fit. They settled for the Speed-cut 3 which has cutting, boring, milling and routing capabilities of material up to 13 metres long and sections up to 450mm x 200mm. The machine was installed in the summer of 2016 and immediately began to pay dividends. “The capability to produce intricate structural and joinery components as well as ‘bread and butter’ cross and angled-cutting has helped to raise our game in terms of range of solutions as well as safety and efficiency by producing components on one machine which were previously produced on a variety of different machines and manual processes,” says Scotframe Operations Director, Alan Cruickshank.

02

04

03

05

“The introduction of such an advanced machine does present its own challenges but we are fortunate to have people in place who have risen to the challenge which has helped in seeing early benefits of such a machine.

We sent four of our people over to Hundegger for intense training prior to machine installation then further on the job training was carried out over a four day period post installation so we were up and running pretty efficiently within days of commissioning. Cutting lists and various macros are produced in the technical office and sent down line via the factory office where some further programming, fine tuning and batching takes place. Overall it has been a positive experience with the machine living up to expectations and has proved a positive addition to our CNC capabilities.”

Hundegger are able to demonstrate the performance of the machines with a remote simulation of files from the design software, which shows the processing times and how employing a Hundegger machine can provide huge benefits. Hundegger have more than 5000 machines installed worldwide and with good relationships with customers, it is always possible for UK companies to take a quick trip to see the latest factories in Europe using Hundegger machines and experience the technology in processing structural timber components and buildings.

UK Contact: 01865 736444 For more information visit: www.hundegger.com www.lowfieldtimberframes.co.uk www.scotframe.co.uk IMAGES: 01-03. Hundegger are at the forefront of cutting and CNC-machining of timber components for all types of timber structures. Courtesy Hundegger.

04. Loose rafters for site in North Uist. All rafters pre-cut on Hundegger saw with virtually no cutting required onsite.

Courtesy Scotframe.

05. Lowfield Timber Frame have found the Hundegger machinery invaluable

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TOOLS & MACHINERY

Harnessing Fastener Automation Automation in fastener technology is bringing substantial benefits to structural timber manufacturing businesses. Lawrence Young, Director of Young Black gives his views on where technology is likely to take the structural timber sector and realise its full potential.

to play out fully. The pace of fastener automation and its impact on workers will vary across different activities, occupations and wage and skill levels.

01 Recent developments in robotics, artificial intelligence and machine learning have put the offsite manufacturing industry on the cusp of a new automation age. Robots and computers perform a range of routine physical work activities better and more cheaply than humans but also have the potential to directly influence product quality.

Automation affects the daily work activities of everyone involved in the offsite manufacture of structural timber solutions at some level. But how quickly these technologies will become a reality in the workplace will depend upon the pressures that the supply-chain is under to reduce lead times and implement lean manufacturing techniques to improve the efficiency of timber structural engineering.

Mechanisation of activities can enable businesses to improve performance by reducing errors and improving quality and speed, and in some cases achieve outcomes that go beyond human capabilities in terms of productivity. It may also help offset the impact of a declining share of the working-age population.

Individual Activities v Production Lines The right level of detail to analyse the potential impact of automation and mechanisation of industrial fastenings is that of individual activities rather than entire production lines. Every production line includes multiple types of activity, each of which has different requirements for fastener automation or mechanisation.

Given current structural timber practices and technologies, very few production lines are candidates for full automation, due to the ‘make to order’ nature of the product offering. However, almost every fastener operation has partial automation or mechanisation potential.

The activities most susceptible to automation are physical ones in highly structured and predictable environments, such as in a timber frame manufacturing facility. As processes are transformed by the automation of individual activities, people will perform activities that complement the work that machines do and vice versa.

Still, automation will not happen overnight.

Even when the technical potential exists, we estimate it will take years for fastener automation’s effect on current work activities

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The Future Factors that will determine the pace and extent of fastener automation include: the ongoing development of technological capabilities, the cost of technology, competition with labour including skills and supply and demand dynamics, performance benefits including and beyond labour cost savings, and social and regulatory acceptance. The speed with which material can be joined and the structural efficiency of the fastening mechanism are vital aspects to consider when assessing or establishing any structural timber manufacturing process.

Innovation in fastener technology for the structural timber manufacturing sector is developing swiftly and the industry is seeing process and product knowledge being transferred around the globe and across industrial sectors. As one of the UK’s leading fastener technology companies, with vast amount of global knowledge and expertise in this field – and having been in business for nearly 40 years – we are keen to work more closely with all structural timber technology manufacturers and new entrants in to the sector and share our knowledge and expertise.

For more information visit: www.youngblack.co.uk IMAGE: 01. The future of fastener technology lies in greater automation and improved efficiency

TOOLS & MACHINERY

Producing Perfect Panels The structural insulated panels (SIPS) and timber frame industry has been using AutoRIM-Hennecke technology with great success for many years and provides high performance, trusted technology.

introduced the panel locking systems then used to build insulated cold-rooms to the construction industry.

Philip Hindson, AutoRIM Managing Director, has been involved in the polyurethane industry since the 1980s and was part of the team who introduced the panel locking systems then used to build insulated coldrooms to the construction industry.

01 Injected mixed polyurethane provides high thermal efficiency with excellent adhesion to timber surfaces for SIPS and closed panel system walls, roofs and floors. Reduction in panel thickness gives potential to increase living space with high U-value thermal benefits, yet provides builders with time and cost savings and can maximise plot yield by the use of good weight to strength ratio, thinner panels of high efficiency polyurethane (PU) foam in lightweight timber structures.

AutoRIM manufactured its first timber frame panelformer press in 1987 – exported to the Caribbean for rapid construction emergency housing – and is now celebrating 30 years of technology transfer with the supply of a containerised turnkey plant producing interlocking SIPS for a luxury hotel complex off the coast of East Africa.

Hennecke patented the world’s first system for high pressure mixing of polyurethane chemicals in 1955 laying the foundation for efficient use of raw materials and improved product quality. The 1975 Hennecke Contimat design for polyurethane sandwichpanel line continuous production is a worldwide standard for insulated panel and board production. Hennecke equipment supports many customers achieving the Passivhaus standard across Europe.

Hennecke GmbH, based outside Cologne with an active worldwide presence is supported in the UK & Ireland by AutoRIM providing manufacturers of polyurethane insulation with manufacturing solutions and technical support. AutoRIM MD, Philip Hindson has been involved in the polyurethane industry since the early 1980s and was part of the team who

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SIPS have been adopted and adapted by the construction industry and housing market in particular and SIPS are now well-established and widely manufactured across the UK and Europe together with hybrid SIPS and Injectapanel.

Today’s manufacturer is looking to maintain a cost matrix under increasing pressure from rising raw material prices. Properly specified, well maintained equipment from AutoRIM-Hennecke enables the producer of offsite structural timber products to maximise chemical yield by producing cellular pu foam of uniform structure and consistent density throughout an insulated panel giving savings of up to 5%.

During the past 30 years AutoRIM have worked with successful pioneers of new ideas, sometimes beginning from pre-owned mixing equipment and basic jigging to testbed concepts which have been received well by the marketplace and then turned into successful commercial products, and then on from second phase to full-scale production.

TOOLS & MACHINERY

03

04

• Carbon footprint reduction by management of upgrade to Pentane or other LBA alternative • Foam injection by Hennecke high pressure and AutoRIM low pressure units

AutoRIM-Hennecke support PU processors regardless of original equipment manufacturer as our depth and breadth of knowledge means we can provide solutions for customers who may have already bought machinery but found their supplier doesn’t have the experience or ability to optimise their process.

02 AutoRIM offer: • Technical advice and consultancy • Annual maintenance programmes • Full factory design, including layout and equipment supply • Product development, prototyping and testing

• Panel former press systems of multiple design configuration including tooling options

• Total confidentiality always respected • Chemical formulation advice

For more information visit: www.autorim.net | www.hennecke.com

• Conveyors and handling systems from vacuum to butterfly

• Chemical conditioning and storage systems including bulk holding tanks and ring main integration to mixing equipment

• Facility installation and ongoing technical support.

IMAGES: 01. Vacuum lift panel de-mould 02. HK high pressure mixing unit 03. Timber panel foam injection 04. Mixed pu foam distribution

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TOOLS & MACHINERY

Machine Smarter: Salvador Crosscut Saws Daltons Wadkin are the longest established woodworking machinery suppliers in the UK and have been involved in the timber framing industry for generations.

With installations at timber frame manufactures across the country, Salvador automatic crosscut saws are a key product in the sector.

Varying lengths of timber are loaded onto the static or optional chain infeed table before the machine scans and measure each piece, individually optimising the lengths to be cut to ensure maximum yield.

A range of out feed options are available for the SuperPush models including waste trap door, tilt-and-return collection plane, automatic outfeed length selectors and label or injet printing.

Established in 1901, the company ethos is to help customers ‘machine smarter’, by providing the latest machine technology, training and support. Alex Dalton, fourth generation family member and Company Director explains: “As sole distributors for Salvador crosscut saws in the UK and Ireland we have established ourselves as crosscutting experts with extensive experience with industries manufacturing a range of products from sofas and beds to garden products, pallets and cases to timber framed buildings.”

Salvador, also a family-run business, has similar values to Daltons Wadkin, forming a synergy between manufacturer and supplier. Founded 35 years ago by Giorgio Salvador in Northern Italy, the company concentrates exclusively on the production and development of automatic crosscut saws. This dedicated focus has seen the name Salvador become synonymous with versatile, reliable crosscutting solutions.

“Traditional crosscutting is one of the most dangerous operations in a workshop”, adds Alex. “Increasingly employers are looking to reduce the skill level and number of operators required from the crosscutting process. A Salvador not only delivers safety, but boosts productivity, reduces waste and ultimately saves money. In addition, a cutting accuracy of +/- 0.1mm speeds up frame assembly further down the production line with no reprocessing required.”

For high volume production there are three Salvador models most suited to UK timber frame manufacturing.

For 90° cutting the Salvador SuperPush 200 and 250 models feature programmable cutting lists with optimising and defecting facility as standard. The heavy duty pusher runs up to 120 m/min and will process pieces up to 110 kg. The cutting time can be regulated between 0.1 to 2 seconds depending on the material with an ‘intelligent’ pressure beam adjusting to the material height minimising processing time.

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For angle cutting the Salvador SuperAngle 600 is increasingly popular in the UK timber frame sector. The SuperAngle will optimise and defect angled cutting lists up to +/70° with a precision of +/- 0.1°. Saw setting between cuts takes no more than one second to position from 0 to 70°. As with the SuperPush models the SuperAngle is available with chain infeed loading and automatic outfeed options depending on customer production requirements.

All Salvador automatic crosscut saws are equipped as standard with full PC control running powerful but intuitive cutting list and control software. The machine can run in standard cut to length mode, optimising mode, or defecting mode. Cutting lists can be programmed directly at the machine or remotely from an office-based PC with files uploaded via a network connection or USB drive.

For more information on Salvador crosscut saws or to arrange a working demonstration call 0115 986 5201, email info@daltonswadkin.com or visit www.daltonswadkin.com

DIGITAL DESIGN

Calibre & Consistency The adoption of digital software to support the design and manufacturing of timber frame buildings is now well-understood. Mactaggart & Mickel Timber Systems have adopted Framing software from Elecosoft for its housebuilding division to great effect.

and there is always the potential for human error. The Framing software loads our machines automatically, so they can just start cutting. You can get optimal yields from timber and the consistency is superb.

Framing software ensures we get the quality of our products right first time, and manufactured to the highest standard.”

01 Mactaggart & Mickel Timber Systems manufacture and install full timber frame systems including open and closed panels, floor cassettes, stairs, roof trusses and canopies and delivers and erect around 200 complete timber kits each year in a turnkey process. A further 400-500 kits are commonly produced and erected for other developers including housebuilders, hotel chains and other commercial clients.

The firm focuses on providing high-quality products at highly competitive prices and that means ensuring maximum end-to-end process efficiency. Standardisation is essential and has the benefit of ensuring minimum waste of timber. “We do a lot of repeat business, therefore, it’s important to us that we consistently deliver the highest quality of product and service to all our customers,” says General Manager Stuart Douglas. “The Framing software helps us to design the complete structural timber kit. When we receive a set of architectural

drawings from our customer, we use the Framing software to start to draw up the actual structural framework which forms the backbone of the house’s structure including panels, joists and roof design configurations.

“The Framing software generates detailed designs for our production team to manufacture into a finished timber frame panel or floor cassette. The software generates an output format that enables us to communicate with our optimising saws and frame lines on the factory floor, providing detailed measurements and programming to the machines.

“Working without Framing software would be challenging and largely unfeasible. We can process much more design output using the software than we could do on a drawing board – plus manual designs issued to the factory could not program our machinery. It would be hugely inefficient,

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The company is very conscious of the growth of digital construction as a whole and BIM in particular. “As a timber system business we are now fully BIM compliant,” adds Stuart. “We have the capability to output our timber designs into IFC models, with the support of our Framing software which has had been able to generate BIM output for IFC files for some time. We involved Elecosoft right at the start of our BIM discussions about interoperability and the ways to export files.”

Stuart sees a bright future for Mactaggart & Mickel’s Timber Systems business: “I believe our volumes will continue to grow in line with increased housebuilding. The more that can be done within the offsite manufacturing environment, the less dependent we will be on skills, training or recruitment onsite and with the challenges housebuilders are facing with regards to skill shortages, this can only be a good thing.”

For more information visit: www.macmicgroup.co.uk/timber-systems www.elecosoft.com/software/framing IMAGE: 01. Digital software delivers consistency and high quality

DIGITAL DESIGN

NBS & BIM Progress 2017 The seventh National BIM Report from NBS was published recently with its annual NBS National BIM Survey, giving a snapshot of the trends and changes driving the world of digital design in the UK.

era-defining change, through Brexit and the uncertainty that it brings across the design and construction sector.”

01

02

The sway that BIM holds over the construction and design sectors has ebbed and flowed since its inception but with a massive emphasis now being placed on more efficient and collaborative working practices, it would seem that BIM awareness has become “nearuniversal” if nothing else. Add to this that BIM Level 2 data delivery is now a contractual requirement for work within the public sector, the use of BIM is becoming unavoidable.

more information, CPD and training on BIM benefits and working practices. “Whilst some clients lead the way on BIM, many others need further support and careful explanation of the process and its benefits,” adds Richard Waterhouse.

“This is the first NBS National BIM Report since the introduction of the UK Government’s BIM mandate,” says Richard Waterhouse CEO, NBS. “It is significant, therefore, that BIM adoption has reached a high point this year. The UK BIM mandate has added an impetus to BIM adoption in the UK. BIM Level 2 looks to be well established: the normal way for most practices to carry out design work. Over 60% now use BIM and 95% expect to within three years. To change a relatively static industry like construction in such a short period is nothing short of astonishing.”

In the age of digital data and information overload, it is ironic that one issue flagged up in the 2017 report is a requirement for

In a customary in-depth and wide-ranging report, areas of most interest surround current BIM usage and what the future holds. “Awareness is near-universal, with 97% telling us they are aware of BIM,” says Adrian Malleson, Head of Research, Analysis and Forecasting at NBS. “Over the six years we have been running the report, BIM adoption has increased over 8% each year, on average. The twelve months preceding this report have seen the most rapid BIM growth since 2014, suggesting that the UK Government’s BIM mandate is having the intended effect. There are areas for attention though, particularly in the education of clients and the enforcement of the mandate.

In the longer term, there is a need for BIM to more fully move out of the design stages and into the maintenance of buildings.

Perhaps the significant changes of these last twelve months have been as important as the introduction of the BIM mandate.

In politics and economics, we are seeing

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“Of course, adopting BIM does not necessarily mean using it for every project. For the first time, we explored the percentage of projects that were designed using BIM. We asked those who had adopted BIM: ‘Approximately what percentage of projects have you used BIM for in the last 12 months?’ We found that 18%, nearly one in five, use BIM on every project they work on and 29% use BIM not on every project, but on more than 75% of their projects. Once BIM is adopted, it is usually the design methodology of choice.”

As the report makes clear, BIM adoption in the UK is growing in both extent (more people are using BIM) and in depth (people are moving up the BIM Levels) but there are still areas of concern, particularly in the education of clients and the enforcement of the BIM mandate. BIM is more than a passing trend of industry fad. Easier design iterations that BIM Level 2 has created will lead to ‘iterative building production’, as in-use data refines building design. As such the value will increasingly be held in the information about that asset, rather than the built asset itself.

For more information and to download a copy of the National BIM Report 2017 visit: www.thenbs.com IMAGES: 01-02. Stewart Milne Timber Systems (SMTS) has developed the UK’s first timber frame BIM library with support of the CITB. The BIM library features 102 of SMTS’s products including walls, floors and roof products.

TIMBER EXPO 2017

The Timber Event of the Year The year’s must-visit timber construction event promises more than ever and will run from 10-12 October at the Birmingham NEC and is one of nine shows taking place at this year’s UK Construction Week.

At the show, visitors will find fire containment technology at manufacturer Envirograf® Intumescent Systems’ stand and can get up close and personal with White Haus’s high-quality hybrid timber frame building materials.

01 Timber Expo is the country’s only specialist event dedicated to timber. Many of timber’s governing bodies and associations will be represented at the exhibition including Confor, Confederation of Timber Industries (CTI), encompassing the Structural Timber Association (STA), British Woodworking Federation (WF ) and the Timber Trade Federation (TTF), Timber Decking and Cladding Association (TDCA), and the Timber Research and Development Association (TRADA).

With 35,000 visitors and more than 650 exhibitors expected, the additional shows will cover every area of building design and construction, including the Build Show sponsored by Easy-Trim, Smart Buildings 2017, Surface & Materials Show (featuring Kitchens & Bathrooms Live), Energy 2017, Grand Designs Live, Plant & Machinery Live, HVAC 2017 and Civils Expo.

The show will explore the latest developments throughout the industry, plus products and innovations from around the world. The entire reach of timber applications will feature, from timber frame through to cross laminated timber (CLT), fire protection, plywood, glulam, timber cladding, SIPS, fixings and fastenings, doors and windows, mouldings, skirtings, flooring and more.

At a time when building materials and regulations are under scrutiny it is now more important than ever before for the industry to take a proactive step toward educating and inspiring those that work in the built environment. Reflecting recent events, the show will offer a series of free CPDs, bringing together leading authorities to deliver advice and guidance on key issues.

These include safety and fire prevention in buildings, guidance on sprinklers, fire doors and dampening, cladding and other flammable building materials and health and safety.

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This year Timber Expo will host a range of international pavilions. These focal points will display some never-seenbefore exhibitors coming from Turkey, China, Belarus, Poland and Latvia. An innovative concept from Estonia, seen for the first time in the UK at UK Construction week, is ÖÖDHOUSE: a pod home / hotel cabin with serious style credentials. A standardised solution with a quick and flexible construction process, ÖÖDHOUSE is made from sleek timber and privacy glass that also elegantly reflects its surroundings to the exterior. Visitors can experience a completed example at the Surface & Materials Show during the show.

Gaujas Koks Ltd will bring 25 years of CLT manufacturing to the show, operating two major sawmills with a total output of 300,000m3 of finished products, and this top-quality company is not one to be missed.

Visitors can test out screws from Schmid Scrauben Hainfeld and its range of RAPID® and StarDrive GPR® quality fixings. They can also experience a comprehensive collection of building boards, facades and airtightness products by RCM with Czech distributor, Orlimex displaying its full range of plywood and packaging.

TIMBER EXPO 2017

02

standards and regulations, while producing fabulous and beautiful design results.

Offsite will be a major theme to this year’s Timber Expo. The industry has embraced the latest technologies that have enabled us to build quicker, more efficiently and at a quality not achievable before. The show will contain hundreds of offsite innovations to see, with more exhibitors in this arena than any other event, as well as a dedicated Offsite Theatre and awards. This part of the event is supported by the Modular and Portable Building Association (MPBA) and the STA.

BWF-Certifire will also be linking up with Exova during the show to launch a new fire door installation guide. At the launch, Exova will also be holding live demonstrations on correct fire door installation. BWF will be giving away a limited number of copies of its acclaimed Fire Door Best Practice Guide on the CTI Stand.

Collaboration and knowledge-sharing make the industry stronger. UK Construction Week will encourage exhibitors and visitors to have some downtime at the beer and ale festival, open each day and both middle nights, plus a dodgeball tournament and casino nights on the 10th and 11th with Genting International Casino.

TRADA, the leading authority dedicated to informing best-practice design, specification and use of wood and timber in the built environment, has collaborated on the Timber Focus Theatre. Here, speakers including Zaha Hadid Architects, drMM, Arup, Pier Architects and Design for Homes will reveal how the boundaries of what is done with wood are being stretched.

To book your free tickets and guarantee a space at your preferred seminars and workshops visit www.timber-expo.co.uk.

Students from the Emergent Technologies and Design Programme at the Architectural Association are also developing an innovative timber installation, aptly names ‘Entwined’, co-ordinated by TRADA and sponsored by Hanson Plywood. The design derives from extensive research on plywood composite material systems, focused on

Follow event updates @TimberExpo #TimberExpo2017

03 Other great names include Garnica, Biesse, Modularize, Bodino Engineering, Glennon Brothers, Piveteau Bois, Swiss Krono and Randek.

Timber Expo will showcase the very latest products and services to the largest gathering of construction professionals of the year via the Innovation Trail, including STEICO, which will showcase its European Technical Approval (ETA) awarded product SteicoFloc, a high-quality air-injected cellulose insulation manufactured from recycled paper.

Meanwhile, the BWF will showcase joinery excellence and promote new best practice guidance for stairs and fire doors, as well as hosting two events on the CTI Stand.

The shortlist for the BWF Awards will be announced at a reception on 11 October and a new version of the BWF Stair Scheme Design Guide will be launched on 12th October.

For specifiers, architects or other parties involved in the design or manufacture of stairs for a project, the updated BWF Stair Scheme Design Guide will help make sure that the stair is compliant with relevant

the integration of doubly curved plywood forms and tensile cables. The design is a development from an initial understanding of ‘tensegrity’ (or floating compression) systems and departs from a pure tensegrity through a three-dimensional structure, where doubly-curved plywood members co-exist in equilibrium.

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Alternatively, for more information on Timber Expo or any other shows from UK Construction week, please contact a member of the team via: info@ukconstructionweek.com

IMAGES: 01. Timber Expo is the biggest timber event of the year and will feature the full range of timber technology 02. The Beer and Ale Festival is always a popular spot 03. The winning designs of CO2nnect, TRADA's 2017 Student Design Competition, can be viewed on TRADA's stand

SKILLS & RECRUITMENT

Prefabulous – the offsite housing revolution The housing industry could be on the verge of a revolution with the 1970s reputation of ‘prefab’ homes being shaken off and offsite manufacture fast becoming the sensible solution to solve the housing crisis. Jim Roach, Managing Director of specialist recruiter ARV Solutions, discusses their experience of developments across offsite housing.

Despite the lack of certainty surrounding the economy we have seen a huge amount of optimism and drive towards offsite housing and perhaps the most significant change which has led to this, is the large amount of investment in the offsite housing area from major backers including insurance companies and housing groups as well as major contractors and developers. No doubt more investment is needed but it’s a promising sign – for more investors to commit they need to be assured of demand.

Pushing demand and confidence in offsite will lead to an increase in investments.

seeing more new companies doing this which makes us question whether some of the more established and known larger businesses have taken their eye of the ball or is it because they are simple too busy in other areas? Notably many new companies seem to be developing more advanced manufacturing methods with an increased need for process engineers, process managers and quality management than we have previously seen. The industry is moving and talent and skills from other industries are now being introduced into this sector in numbers previously not seen.

We are working with a growing range of new companies making a serious move towards offsite manufactured housing – mostly still keeping well below the radar. From our unique point of view, we are entrusted to recruit the staff to establish these set ups, we are mostly dealing with companies before they are publicising what they are doing – most of whom can’t talk specifically about these exciting developments – yet.

Some companies publicising their housing prototypes are already delivering with more ready to go or at least will be very soon.

There are more committed advancements than you may realise.

When adopting offsite, design and initial costs are determined in the early stages of the project, allowing for the cost of many materials, required to feed into the production lines, to be established much earlier than in traditional forms of construction thus limiting time delays, wastage and encouraging a more environmental and efficient performance. Offsite construction brings with it considerable benefits, notably less environmental disruption and far more reliability with regards to financial planning.

This all demonstrates that offsite is now a practical alternative for housing as opposed to ‘traditional construction’ methods, offering a distinct advantage. The landscape of volume modular manufacturing is set to change and from that will emerge a significant new market sector.

Many businesses are pushing towards advanced manufacturing methods, with a concentration on quality management and production lines being set up. We are

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The government has acknowledged this change of landscape. In August London Mayor Sadiq Khan was urged to promote an increase in offsite construction development in a bid to solve the capital’s housing crisis.

A London Assembly report called upon Khan to promote more modular housing. The report says that prefabrication has been successful in helping past housing crisis’s in the past and should be promoted again.

“While not a panacea, OSM will be critical in bridging the gap between the numbers of new homes the traditional construction industry can deliver in London and the level of housing need that is anticipated in the next 20 years.”

There have been lots of advancements and developments in housing, many appear lined up and ready to go, buttons are ready to be pushed. And they will be, it’s just a question of when and how many as offsite is the perfect solution to addressing the housing crisis.

For more information visit: www.arvsolutions.co.uk Follow us: @arvsolutions

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Our valueable relationships with our clients means we have access to unadvertised job opportunities. Our team have a genuine passion and love of the offsite industry, experts in their field they are dedicated to matching candidates from trainee through to management level.

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Our team’s specialist knowledge of your industry means they are best placed to offer you specific advice and support within this niche sector. From your job search to writing your CV. Call for impartial and confidential advice on your career, 0117 959 2008 or register your CV at arvsolutions.co.uk/register.

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DATES FOR YOUR DIARY If you are interested in learning more about offsite construction in the timber sector and the associated manufacturing processes then choose from some of the timber specific events taking place in 2017: DATE EVENT

10 October

VENUE

2017 Structural Timber Awards

WEBSITE Birmingham www.structuraltimberawards.co.uk

More than 500 leaders and innovators from across the construction sector will gather at the National Conference Centre, Birmingham for the Structural Timber Awards.

The prestigious award ceremony will reward outstanding projects, innovative products and dynamic people promoting excellence in structural timber across the UK.

10-12 October

Timber Expo

Part of UK Construction Week, Timber Expo covers a breadth of timber applications from timber frame through to sawmills, glulam to timber cladding. It is three days brimming with the latest products, innovations and developments across the timber sector - not just from the UK but from an increasingly exciting and diverse international market.

Birmingham www.timber-expo.co.uk

19 October

Exeter

24 October

Cambridge

STA Fire Workshop

01 November

Glasgow

The morning Fire Workshop will provide updates on the latest Site Safe procedures and complementary Fire Risk Management and Fire Safety information – including 16 steps to Fire Safety and our latest Advice Notes. The afternoon member only session will cover various topics including; commercial updates, quality assurance and technical document information.

14 November

Midlands Construction Summit

Returning for 2017, the Midlands Construction Summit will bring together the regional construction industry and its supply chain to explore opportunities, major projects, client commitments and procurement best practice.

05 December

Explore Offsite Infrastructure

Explore Offsite will see approximately 250 delegates and an exhibition of up to 30 companies, all from a range of sectors that incorporate offsite construction in their infrastructure construction practice, covering rail, roads, airports and utilities. Full speaker programme available online.

2018 Offsite Awards

Birmingham

Birmingham

www.exploreoffsite.co.uk

ExCeL, London www.offsiteawards.co.uk

Celebrate the best in precision building design and delivery at the Offsite Construction Awards. The Awards will rewards outstanding examples of prefabrication and factory-based methods, products, systems and disciplines that increasingly strive to develop a sustainable, streamlined and cost effective way to deliver a better built environment.

Entries now open and can be submitted online.

06-08 March

ecobuild

A fresh format that's nothing like an ordinary trade show bringing together the most innovative, exciting and inspiring brands, companies, speakers and experiences.

The centrepiece will be the comprehensive conference programme curated by top industry figures surrounded by eight unique 'futurebuild districts' that will each explore a different aspect of the built environment. These will include building performance, infrastructure and energy.

ExCeL, London www.ecobuild.co.uk

CONNECTING THE UK OFFSITE INDUSTRY Online information centre offering industry news, project profiles, technical downloads and learning resources tailored to the offsite sector.

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www.midlandsconstructionsummit.co.uk

www.structuraltimber.co.uk/events/sta-events

06 March

Network with over 600 business leaders and high proямБle decision makers

SOCIAL HOUSING PROJECT OF THE YEAR

PRIVATE HOUSING PROJECT OF THE YEAR

EDUCATION PROJECT OF THE YEAR

HEALTHCARE PROJECT OF THE YEAR

COMMERCIAL PROJECT OF THE YEAR

RETAIL & LEISURE PROJECT OF THE YEAR

PRODUCT INNOVATION AWARD

CLIENT OF THE YEAR

ARCHITECT OF THE YEAR

CONTRACTOR OF THE YEAR

ENGINEER OF THE YEAR

PROJECT OF THE YEAR

LOW ENERGY CUSTOM & SELF BUILD PROJECT OF THE YEAR PROJECT OF THE YEAR

PIONEER OF THE YEAR

EVENT DATE 10.10.2017 National Conference Centre, Birmingham

To book your tickets, visit:

PROJECT MANAGER OF THE YEAR

INSTALLER OF THE YEAR